


the sun, the moon, and stars between

by literally_trash06



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Childhood Trauma, Cross-Posted on Wattpad, Doesn't Completely Follow Cannon, Eri Is Literally A Ball Of Sunshine, Eri and Ryder deserve the world, Eridanus Irma Black, Eridanus and Draco Fluff, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/F, F/M, Gryffindor OC, Hufflepuff OC - Freeform, I'm American please excuse my slang, M/M, Minor Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Mostly OC, NOT FOLLOWING CANNON COMPLETELY, OC Has Abandonment Issues, OC/OC - Freeform, Original Character(s), Protective Remus Lupin, Protective Sirius Black, Ravenclaw OC - Freeform, Regulus Black Deserves Better, Slytherin OC - Freeform, Sorta OOC Walburga Black, Thanks, Walburga Black's A+ Parenting, characters may be slightly OOC, please don't yell at me, sirius black has a sister
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:48:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 23
Words: 32,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28061166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/literally_trash06/pseuds/literally_trash06
Summary: in which Sirius discovers he has a sister"Potter, Lupin, and Black, back to give Severus Snape a heart attack""Is it too early to retire?""Kiss my fine white ass Snivellus"
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Male Character
Kudos: 10





	1. faces to names

**Author's Note:**

> Please read the tags! This is not beta-read and all of my mistakes are checked by Grammarly! Enjoy the chapter <3

Eridanus Irma Black - Alexis Bledel

"Moony, Padfoot, Prongs, and Wormtail? Who the hell are they?"

"Love, we're Moony and Padfoot."   
  
  


Mandy Hunt - Liza Weil

"You tell him Mands"

"Eridanus, I'm gonna rip you a new one too. Wait your turn."

Carrie James - Keiko Agena 

"Carrie. I love you more than the moon, but please for the love of all things beautiful STOP"

"Sorry, Mandy!"

Alexander Nott - Milo Ventimiglia

"I hate when you do that Eri,"

"Do what Xander?"

Flynn Daniels - William Moseley

"The whole 'night in shining armor' thing, really doesn't fit you, Flynn"

"Thanks, Eri!"

Ryder Lupin - Jared Padalecki

"Uh hi, Sirius, Remus, Ted, Andromeda" 

"Where is she, what did you two do this time!" 

"Hey Ry, I think the chocolate we got from Honeydukes is melting already I'm not sure- oh hi Siri, Ted, Rem', Andi"

Remus Lupin - Andrew Garfield 

"I can't do it anymore! I hate lying to him Remmy"

"C'mere Danus, it's okay to cry."

Sirius Black - Ben Barnes 

"Eridanus you have to be more careful! One day you're gonna slip and I won't be there to catch you."

"No, but you will be there to patch me up, Siri"


	2. prologue

the final star

* * *

Walburga Black, married and born, was proud of the fact that she had birthed the most recent heirs to the Black name, well at least half proud, her oldest, Sirius Orion Black III never agreed with their ideals. The woman had always wanted a daughter, someone she could pamper and teach all about being proper and how to find a respectable husband, and so her husband decided to give her what she wanted, a daughter. Walburga's husband Orion, died only after finding out about his third unborn child. Their third and final child was gifted to the couple late in life, with the help of magic.

After many months of bed rest and many scares, Walburga gave birth to a little girl on August 13th of 1980, two weeks after Neville Long bottom and Harry Potter. Walburga awarded her first and only daughter with the name Eridanus Irma Black. Eridanus, after the river constellation, residing near the constellation Orion, and Irma, after Walburga's late mother.

Eridanus grew up not knowing her father, or either of her brothers, only their portraits and the things they left behind in their rooms. She was only five when her mother died, leaving her to be raised by the only other living thing she had known other than her mother, their house-elf Kreacher.

Eridanus was raised and taught magic by the portraits of her family that lived in the hallways of Number 12 Grimmauld Place, she personally kept a portrait of her older brother Regulus in her bedroom, he was the only one who truly listened to her and gave her a response other than a lecture about blood purity and how she must keep the Black bloodline " _Toujours Pur."_ When the growing young woman wasn't being lectured about her spell casting and blood purity she spent her time trying to learn as much as she could about muggles and muggle-borns alone in the library.


	3. the sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> part one - the sun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not beta read! - elle <3

the sun - part one

* * *

☀︎  
𝓲 𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓻𝔂 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓼𝓾𝓷 𝓲𝓷 𝓪 𝓰𝓸𝓵𝓭𝓮𝓷 𝓬𝓾𝓹.

\- 𝔀.𝓫 𝔂𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓼

"Mummy loves you so much, and one day you shall be brighter than the afternoon sun Eridanus"

☀︎

𝔀𝓱𝓮𝓷 𝓲 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓷𝓰 𝓪𝓵𝓵 𝓲 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓭𝓸 𝔀𝓪𝓼 𝓰𝓻𝓸𝔀 𝓾𝓹

\- 𝓪𝔁𝓮𝓵 𝓶𝓪𝓻𝓪𝔃𝔃𝓲  
"Mummy? The Sun's awake Mummy! Mummy wake up! Wake up, PLEASE WAKE UP! KREACHER!" 

☀︎

𝓫𝓮𝓬𝓪𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓲 𝓬𝓸𝓾𝓵𝓭 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓹 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓭𝓮𝓪𝓽𝓱, 𝓱𝓮 𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓭𝓵𝔂 𝓼𝓽𝓸𝓹𝓹𝓮𝓭 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝓶𝓮

\- 𝓮𝓶𝓶𝓲𝓵𝔂 𝓭𝓲𝓬𝓴𝓲𝓷𝓼𝓸𝓷

"She's been gone for over ten years Kreacher! We must move on!"

☀︎

the song for part one is "here comes the sun" by the beatles


	4. one

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Who are you and why are you here?" 
> 
> "My name is Sirius Orion Black"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember not beta-read! Grammarly is being used. Enjoy the chapter <3

**_home invasion_ **

* * *

June 4th of 1995

"Young Mistress Eridanus mustn't _dance_ through the halls!" Kreacher, a house-elf born into serving The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black called out to the youngest Black, and final child born to Walburga and Orion Black. Kreacher was so distracted by the fourteen-year-old running and dancing through the old house, waking up the portraits and almost getting cursed by an object in the house, that he didn't notice Sirius Black walk through the front door.

"Oh come on Kreach, it's not like Mother is here to yell after me!" Sirius heard a feminine voice call back to the house-elf chasing her through the dusty halls. "Regulus back me up here!" The teen called over to a portrait of Sirius' late brother Regulus.

"She _is_ right Kreacher, let her live a bit." Sirius held back a smirk at the sound of his brother defending the stranger in Grimmauld Place

"ERIDANUS IRMA BLACK YOU QUIT THAT THIS MOMENT!" The sound of soft giggles and padding feet stopped immediately and the sound of someone or something falling replaced it.

"I apologize, Mother, I hope that I could be forgiven." Sirius frowned at the familiar automatic response that he was taught at a young age by his father. "Yes Mother, _Toujours Pur_ I know." He could almost hear the eye-roll that went along with the sound of the Black family motto.

"Master Sirius-" The escaped convict had finally been noticed by the family house-elf. The sound of Kreacher gasping caught the ears of another person also, a young girl, about the same age as Harry.

"ACCIO WAND! Who are you and why are you here?" Sirius was met with a wand at his jugular and a teenage girl pressing him up against one of the walls of his childhood home, her knee dangerously close to a very specific area.

"My name is Sirius Orion Black, son of Walburga and Orion Black, and brother to Regulus Arcturus Black, _Toujours Pur."_ The girl looked shocked for a moment, but then her wand was wearily moved from his jugular but still pointed at him, the teen in the light green dress attempting to look intimidating towards the much older man.

"Kreacher- Dang it Kreacher calm down." The old house-elf got a hold of himself quickly "do you know this man?"

"Disgusting blood traitor, Master Sirius is Mistress Eridanus' oldest brother, disowned at age sixteen by Mistress Walburga." The house-elf glared at Sirius as Eridanus lowered her mother's wand from aiming at him, yet her eyes untrusting and her tiny hand had a grip of death around the wand.

"Kreacher go make some tea. We have some catching up to do."

"But Mis-"

" _Now_ Kreacher! Please..." The teen gave the elf a pleading look before he walked into the kitchen. "I'm Eridanus, I thought it was just me but I guess there's two of us left huh." They both awkwardly chuckled as Eridanus began to think her bare feet were very interesting all of a sudden.

"I'm Sirius, uh, sorry I didn't know about your existence or else I wouldn't have let you grow up like" he gestured around the sitting-room they found themselves in "this." Eridanus gave a weak smile as she finally met his eyes again, they were blue- no, they were grey, with years upon years of secrets lying in them, dulling down the beautiful blue that had once lay there.

"It wasn't all that bad, I found a few portraits that actually liked having conversations, Uncle Alphard is pretty cool, I love talking to Regulus, he tells me about Hogwarts, but nobody spoke about you." Eridanus' eyes reminded Sirius slightly of his younger brothers, but much different at the same time. They were bluer than the midday sky, they reminded him of Mrs. Potter's blue topaz necklace that she always wore. Eridanus was pale, paler than should be possible, her hair was a dark shade of chestnut, going down her back. Her face was reminiscent of their mother and full like Andromeda's. Her face almost always set in a smile but it was never full. Her eyes were the only thing that was truly original to Sirius though, they were full of life that most children born into pureblood families could never hold.

"Well I'm not surprised there, most of them wanted me dead." Sirius gave a small smile as her eyes became downcast again, preferring to look at the floor than him. "You don't believe in that pureblood stuff do you?" He asked Eridanus quietly, praying to Godric that she shook her head or said something that indicated a no.

"You won't tell Mother, will you? She's already disappointed enough in me as it is." Eridanus never understood why her mother's approval meant so much to her, she barely knew the woman before she died, why should she care? It was a mystery to the teen.

"Oh Merlin Eri, of course, I won't," Sirius understood the need for approval, when he began to realize that he had a family elsewhere than the Black's he decided to stop needing their approval. Sirius understood that she hadn't had that approval and that she could never get it from someone. She was also a bit skittish around people. He could tell just by the way she acted around him, defensive and hand always near the wand she grew up using, that the girl had never had much human interaction, let alone any.

Eridanus was shocked at the new nickname, Regulus had never thought to give her any and Alphard often said it was unladylike. "Sirius?" Her soft voice rang out, Sirius met her eyes again with a small grin.

"Yeah, Eri?"

"What's it like not being alone?" The two remaining children of Walburga and Orion Black sat there, looking into the familiar yet unique eyes of one another, knowing that after all those years isolated, only surrounded by people and things that despised or could never truly be there for them, they would not be alone.

"Oh, Eridanus I-"

"Would Young Mistress Eridanus like dinner to be served?" Sirius was cut off by the house-elf that had suddenly popped up. Eridanus looked over at the clock near the door

"Yes please Kreacher, and make sure you make enough for two." The elf nodded and grumbled something about Walburga as he left. Sirius began telling the teen about why he hadn't been back to Grimmauld Place sooner, about his arrest, and how he escaped Azkaban. He was beginning to tell Eridanus about his Hogwarts days but Kreacher had come back, announcing that dinner was ready in the dining room.

"Eridanus,"

"Yes, Sirius?"

"I promise, you'll never be alone again."

Both siblings smiled lightly before walking into the dining room, for a feeling of normalcy, for the first time in a long time for both of them. 


	5. two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'm just shocked it took this long for her to snap [...] and a bit that it wasn't at me"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not beta-read, I use Grammarly! Enjoy <3 - elle

**_trouble in paradise_ **

* * *

June 11th, 1995

"So you ran?" Eridanus and Sirius had grown to know and understand one another over the week that Sirius had been living in Number 12 Grimmauld Place, today Sirius decided to tell her about the Potters, Fleamont, Euphemia, and James.

"I ran like hell, Eri" The older sibling laughed a little at the look on his sister's face, she looked at him with a bit of shock but mostly confusion.

"Sirius, why are you here? I mean I love having someone else to talk to and all but...You're on the run, why stay here when you should be hiding, truly hiding?" Eridanus' confusion was due to the idea of actually leaving the house. She had always been doted on by Kreacher and taken care of by him. He couldn't leave the house and so by default she couldn't.

"Okay Rapunzel, I have another story, it's much darker than the others, but it will make sense in the end." Eridanus rolled her eyes at the nickname and just pulled her feet up into the chair she had been inhabiting. Sirius began his story about Voldemort, about the Order of the Phoenix, The Boy Who Lived, and the fact that The Dark Lord has risen again, and so the Order must also.

"So you need this to be the Order's headquarters?" Sirius nodded and looked at his sister, admiring her unique eyes again. "Okay, send your letters, get who you need, I'll be cleaning and making rooms presentable. Oh! And I'll _try_ and quiet the portraits down a bit." The older Black sibling was shocked at how quickly Eridanus was alright with having strangers in the house, expecting a little more resistance from the girl.

Sirius wrote to Dumbledore, who wrote to all involved in the Order, and soon the floo blared and out came Remus Lupin "Hello Sirius!" The two joined in a hug and began talking about charms and protective spells to use on the house. "So now that we've got that out of the way, Dumbledore mentioned something about another Black that could help?" Sirius smiled to himself as he led Remus over to the couch.

"Her name is Eridanus, and she's my sister. Hold the questions Moony." Sirius raised his hand before Remus could get any of his questions out. "My mother kept her existence a secret to everyone, even the Ministry. Apparently, my parents wanted another child after Regulus's passing and decided to have her, my father died before her birth so it was just her and my mother until she was five." Remus looked at Sirius both shocked and a bit appalled.

"So she's been raised by a house-elf and paintings since she was five? Oh my, Merlin." Sirius only smiled and walked over to the bottom of the staircase

"Eri! Come here a moment!" Remus could hear footsteps bounding down from the top floor, and then a tumble. The werewolf shot up out of his seat and towards Sirius as they both had a look of concern on their faces

"I'm alright! I think?" A young woman's voice rang through the halls of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. The moment of silence was then met with a small "ouch" and soon a teenage girl, no younger than Harry came down the stairs, with the beginning of a bruise obvious on her right arm. Her A-line dress was covered in a bit of dirt and her brunette hair was pulled up into a bun on top of her head.

"Oh Merlin Eri, you have to be more careful." Remus recognized the tone of voice Sirius was using, the same one he used when Peter Pettigrew would fall or break something around Hogwarts.

"Sorry Sirius, who's he?" Eridanus nodded at Remus before she sat down on the dusty stairs, putting her left hand on the bruise which now resided on her right arm.

"This is my friend, Remus Lupin-" before Sirius could finish what he was saying the teenager stood up quickly, swayed a bit, and stuck her hand out to Remus

"I've heard a lot about you Mr. Lupin! I'm Eridanus Black. I must say, it's an honor to meet the brains behind most of my brothers' pranks!" Remus let a lopsided grin come to his face as he shook the teen's hand.

"Sadly I cannot say the same." Remus' eyes held secrets as Sirius' did. Almost in the same way, but his eyes seemed like they've been brightened again. Eridanus assumed it was because he had his friend back after over twelve years. "It's a pleasure to meet you Eridanus." The teen nodded and then turned to Sirius, to Remus it seemed that she was asking for permission from a parent to go play, but to Sirius, it was her asking if she spoke to the werewolf correctly.

"Well I best get back to cleaning since **_someone_** _"_ both men followed her eyes to Kreacher who was standing in the doorway of the living area "refuses to clean the upstairs."

"Mistress would not want her things disturbed." The teen rolled her eyes and Remus saw the familiar look of a rising temper in her eyes. The same one he had seen in Sirius and Regulus many years ago.

"Mother has been dead for almost ten years Kreacher!" Eridanus exclaimed, from her collar bone to the tips of her ears going red. "You know why I remember that? Because that day was the last time I ever got to see another living human being! Waking up from a nightmare and going to your mother for comfort and finding her dead isn't something you forget, you IDIOTIC HOUSE ELF!" Sirius jumped and Remus looked taken aback, Sirius had never thought she'd ever raise her voice at another living thing. Remus was shocked that she had to endure the trauma of finding her mother dead. "Maybe you just need to remember that too. She's dead, Kreacher. We must move on." Eridanus quickly regained her temper at the sound of portraits waking up. Her voice was cold as she glared at the house-elf who stood in front of her.

Walburga was silent, even though her portrait was awake. The matriarch said nothing, never hearing her child yell like that, not even Sirius had snapped at Kreacher like that before.

Sirius looked over to the portraits for some indication on what to do as the teen excused herself and left to her room, most sneered at him and raised their chins as they thought they were better than him. His father's portrait caught his eye, Orion was a cold and stern man, but if his children were crying or mad because of something someone else said to them, that person would regret it. He and Walburga cared for their children, just in different ways than the normal parents would.

"Leave her Sirius, Regulus is in there with her." Orion's cold voice made Remus shiver but Sirius nodded and led Remus back into the parlor for a drink.

"It was only a matter of time before she was to snap at someone, I'm just shocked it took a week." The grey-eyed man sighed as he sat back in the chair, a tumbler firewhisky in his hand "and a little that it wasn't at me" Remus chuckled as he took the bottle from him and poured his own glass.

"Reminds me of fourth-year" Sirius scoffed at his friend for bringing the year up to him. "In the common room when James kept going on and on about Lily. She had that same look on her face as you do when your temper is getting too much to handle." Sirius went a bit red with embarrassment when Remus brought up the fight between him and James. "Oh and the hallway in our sixth year, when you and Regulus got into it. Is it a Black thing, the temper?" Remus teased his friend, both of them attempting to find some humor within the dramatics between the teen and the elf.

"Oh yes, my father and mother both had terrible tempers, I'm just shocked Eri has one, the day I met her she was shy, stepping on eggshells around me about our family." He took a drink "but then she opened up, started rambling on about magizoology and muggle technology, and Newt Scamander books. She just seemed so, tame? If that's the right way to put it."

"At first glance, you'd never guess she was a child of Walburga Black. The tell is the way she dresses." Remus gave his lopsided smile as he spoke about the girl he had met "does she always wear dresses?" Sirius nodded into his glass. The pair of friends looked up from their drinks when they heard Eridanus' footsteps a little while later.

"Hello, I apologize for my outburst earlier, I understand that it was improper." Eridanus had a polite smile on her face until she noticed what the men were drinking, then it turned into a disgusted look. "Where did you find that I thought it had Kreacher get rid of it all?" Eridanus glided across the room and took the glass bottle from its spot on the table.

"Eri give that back." Sirius groaned as he stood to retrieve the bottle from the girl.

"No Sirius. You are not going to end up like our mother, I'm not having it." Remus pursed his lips but said nothing. Lily. That's who Eridanus reminded him of.

Sirius froze at her words, but then quickly composed himself and followed her into the kitchen, he saw the look of hatred in her eyes as she looked at the bottle. Remus had trailed behind his friend, hoping if an argument broke out between the man with thinning patience and the teen with the intent of ridding the house of alcohol he could mediate or if it gets bad enough, separate.

"Eridanus Irma, give me the damn bottle." Remus took a step further into the kitchen at the sound of Sirius' voice raising. The teen opened the bottle and poured it down the drain.

"Can't get it back now." Sirius calmed himself quickly and tried to think happy thoughts, he had spent twelve years in Azkaban without cigarettes and alcohol. The man just wanted to let loose a bit.

"Eridanus."

Eridanus flinched at Sirius' tone.

"Sirius."

"Eri! Sirius tells me you have an interest in magizoology! I know a bit about it myself, maybe we could go into the parlor and talk about it?" Remus intercepted the budding screaming match that was going to break out any moment. Sirius needed a moment to himself and Eridanus still looked at the bottle, now sitting on the counter, with hatred.

"Sure." Remus walked out and silently prayed that she would follow without issue. Eridanus' footsteps were heard behind him.

"So-"

"You're a werewolf aren't you?"

"What a way to start a conversation."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keep in mind that Eri is a teenage girl and that she isn't used to social interaction, she's adapting to a lot of stuff very quickly and that will involve outbursts. Think of her as Harry during Order of the Phoenix. There is a whole world that she was kept from growing up in. She will be prone to outbursts and bouts of anger and yelling.


	6. three

**_invasion of the order_ **

* * *

June 11th, 1995, an hour later

"Are you always this blunt?" Eridanus and Remus had a lovely conversation, other than the fact that the teen started it with a seemingly rude question it was normal and engaging. Remus told her about a boy her age he had taken in a few years back and Eridanus ranted and raved about being surrounded by rude paintings and an even ruder house elf.

"Sirius said I'm, and I quote "the bluntest teen he has ever met" so yeah, I think I'm like this often." Eridanus shrugged her shoulders and gave a small smile. She liked this man a lot. He listened to her and would actually give a decent response when asked a question about magical creatures, unlike Sirius, who knew more about transfiguration.

"You're blunt and awkward but you're my little sister and somehow I can't hold a grudge against you." Remus and Eridanus looked up to the door where a, much calmer, Sirius Black stood.

"It's true 'Danus, he's the king of grudges," Remus confirmed with a smile.

"I think the upstairs bedrooms are clean enough for the Order Eri, go get something to eat, I need to talk to Remus for a moment." Eridanus nodded and hurried out of the room, the only sound coming from the kitchen being her tripping over her own feet.

"She's a bit clumsy huh Padfoot?" Remus noted before Sirius could begin to worry about her.

"A bit? That girl is a walking disaster, Moony." The animagus smiled fondly,

"Ryder will get along well with her, hopefully, they'll balance each other out?" Sirius' smile faded at the thought of Eri hanging out with a boy, she was so innocent and sweet. And boys were, well, he was one not too long ago.

"This Ryder kid, is he well behaved? House trained? Would he be a good friend to Eri?" Sirius hammered the werewolf with questions about the teen.

"Padfoot, he iron and folds his socks, loves Star Wars, and the only reason he wants to leave the house is for school and the full moon. I don't think you have anything to worry about mate."

"None of that matters mate, remember how you were? Anyways, Dumbledore just owled me and the rest of the Order should be here within the next few minutes." At the mention of The Order, the floo blared again and out popped Dumbledore, Madeye Moody, and Kingsley Shacklebolt

"The rest are on their way, the Weasleys will be here within an hour, we must get to work immediately." Dumbledore announced before 'hello's' could be exchanged.

"Remus!" a tall teenage boy popped out of the floo and tripped onto the carpet in front of him.

"Ryder! what are you doing here?" Remus had his hand on his wand as he spoke.

"We're both werewolves, Sirius Black is an innocent man and Honeydukes." Ryder went through the routine they had just in case someone used polyjuice to become one of the werewolves. "I'm impatient Rem'" The teen shrugged as he stood from the floor.

"Sirius? Remus?" Many eyes traveled to the doorway where Eridanus Black stood, changed out of her dirty dress and into a much more elegant blue dress that reached just below her knees, her hair was slightly curled from the bun her hair had been in all day, and she had opted for a pair of flats stolen and resized from her mothers closet.

"Hey Eri, this is Dumbledore, Kingsley Shackelbolt, and Madeye Moody. Everyone, my sister Eridanus." Sirius blatantly ignored the tall teenage boy's existence.

"Hello" Eridanus' demeanor suddenly changed from smiling, clumsy Eri that rambled on about books and magical creatures to shy Eridanus, who just wanted to hide in her room reading and having debates with Regulus over theology.

"'Danus, this is my friend Ryder, he's about your age, maybe you guys could go talk while we get sorted?" Ryder gave Eridanus an awkward smile and wave, she only stepped closer to Sirius.

"Do I have to?" Sirius held back a laugh and turned to her, Eridanus was used to talking with adults, having intellectual conversations as opposed to ones about homework or drama that was going around at Hogwarts.

"Eri, you'll be okay." Her brother gave her a small push towards the other teen. As much as he hated the idea of her hanging out with a boy, the girl really needs to talk to someone her own age.

"Hi, I'm Ryder"

"Eridanus"

"Tell me something about yourself," Ryder led Eri out of the room and the adults heard the teens response

"What do you want to know, my favorite color, or my trauma?" Remus and Sirius shared a knowing look, holding in laughter at the girl's blunt response

"We're going to be good friends Eridanus Black!"

"If you say so Ryder I-Have-No-Idea-What-Your-Last-Name-Is"

_An hour passed and the teens weren't heard from_

"'Danus! Ryder! The Weasleys are here, we're about to start dinner!" Remus was tasked with finding them. A loud thud and the sound of laughter were heard from his spot at the bottom stair.

"Star! Are you okay?" Ryder's voice was heard from his spot. A look of confusion crawled onto Remus' face at the name

"I'm okay Ry, I fall all the time" Eri's voice responded. So he had taken to calling her Star, interesting development. "We're coming!" She called down the stairs, thudding footsteps soon filled the silence.

The teens came to the bottom stairs and nothing seemed to be wrong with them, Eridanus had another newly forming bruise on her other arm, but that wasn't anything new to the girl, she was always tripping over her own feet or the carpet, sometimes even tripping over nothing. Ryder had a big smile on his face as both teens tried to keep from bursting into laughter over nothing. "You are such a klutz" He mumbled over to her as Remus led them into the kitchen.

Sirius made his way over to his sister and placed a kiss on her head before nodding over to the chair she always sat in

"Hi, I'm Ginny Weasley"

"Eridanus Black" The two girls smiled at each other before being separated by Ron Weasley.

"Ron Weasley, at your service" The boy wore a smile that seemed to be him attempting to flirt with her, which she only stuck her hand out to and gave a small polite smile

"Eridanus Black, how do you do?" Ron's smile only got wider as he began to talk about things in the wizarding world she already knew, he explained everything to her like she was a toddler, in which she only humored him and nodded along, occasionally sending looks of 'save me' to Ryder who found himself in front of her, where the two Weasley children sat next to her. Quickly, she lost her patience "Ron. I am not completely an idiot, I understand the basics of being a witch, I've just never left the house, thank you for your kindness but please, keep in mind that I am not completely incompetent."

Ryder and Ginny hid their smiles and laughter behind their hands as Ron went red with embarrassment.

"Hermione is going to love you," Ron grumbled as he stood to move from his seat and into another, where a smug-looking Fred Weasley slid into the second it was free.

"Fred Weasley, lovely to meet you beautiful" He grasped her hand and placed a light kiss on it, keeping his eyes staring into hers as he did so.

" _Frederick Gideon Weasley_ , you are not flirting with her, your father's mother was a Black before she married him. She is family!" The matriarch of the large family's voice carried through the kitchen "and she is younger than Harry! Would you flirt with Hermione?"

"No, Mum"

"I'm Eridanus, and _Frederick Gideon_ , not a bad name"

"Oh shut up"

"No can do _Gideon_ "


	7. four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Hermione Granger hated nicknames, thinking them ridiculous, but when Eridanus said it, she truly didn’t mind."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not beta-read! I use Grammarly! Enjoy <3 - elle

**_the muggle-born_ **

* * *

The Same Day

Eridanus sat through dinner without any major embarrassment, other than when Sirius bragged about her intelligence, or when Remus and Ryder made subtle comments about how ahead she was in her studies for never going to Hogwarts. Most of the Weasleys headed to bed, leaving Ginny with Eri in the parlor room, along with Remus, Sirius, and of course, Ryder. Eridanus and Ryder hit it off after the initial awkwardness, they found a good middle ground quickly.

"Hey Star, you've never seen Star Wars right?" They all heard Remus' not so subtle groan from his spot on the couch with Sirius

"Yeah, I haven't, Siri said I should see it too."

"Oh not it, them, they are a whole franchise." Eri's eyes lit up and she moved across the floor to sit next to Ryder as he pulled out a book he had with him. The adults watched them as Ginny, Ryder, and Eridanus rambled about the book the boy brought with him.

* * *

"Ginny I think you need to head up to bed." Everyone looked up to see Molly Weasley standing with a small smile on her face as she watched the scene unfold before her. Ginny hugged Eri goodnight and gave nods to Sirius, Remus, and Ryder before following her mother up the stairs. Sirius watched as Eridanus gave a small yawn before asking Ryder more questions about the movies.

Ryder indulged her curiosity and continued to answer her random but wonderful questions. The teens moved onto the other couch in the room and slowly faded from the topic of Star Wars and moved to Hogwarts "I want to go but I've asked Mother, she always said no." Ryder made a face at Eridanus' recreation of Walburga's voice. Sirius and Remus broke from their own conversation and butted into the pair's discussion.

"Eridanus if you want to go to Hogwarts I can find a way to send you," Sirius spoke, getting a shocked looking Eri in return

"You would send me to Hogwarts?" Her voice just loud enough for the animagus to hear her

"Of course, Love. You're my baby sister, I would kill for you, Squirt. This is nothing, trust me, you wanna go to Hogwarts, you're gonna go to Hogwarts." Sirius chuckled as Eri shared a look with Ryder, who the older Black discovered was a total gentleman when it came to Eridanus, respecting her completely.

What Sirius didn't expect was Eridanus trampling him with a hug, mumbling 'Thank you' over and over as he held her close. Having the teen initiate affection was something rare to Sirius, he cherished the moment every moment he could.

"I'm going to Hogwarts! Hogwarts, Ryder!" Eri was excited, to say the least.

"We'll need to send you a letter then Miss Black." Dumbledore's voice cut through the room like a hot knife "That is if you want to be known as a Black?" Eridanus looked up at the headmaster from Sirius' embrace and shrugged, she realized the man wasn't a threat to her, but she wasn't letting her walls down that fast, he was keeping things from the Order, she could tell.

"This will need further discussion but I think it's time that the kids head to bed, Ryder, you're with Ron, follow the snores." Remus' voice of reasoning spoke out. Eri removed herself from Sirius and nodded up the stairs, giving the silent signal to Ryder that they should leave the adults alone.

"Eri, c'mere, you can head up as soon as we're done." Sirius seemed intent on keeping the teen awake for the conversation unraveling. "If you go to school with the surname Black, everyone will think you're a baby death eater, I'm sure someone in the Order could let you borrow their last name while you're in school but it's completely up to you, Love." Eridanus gave it a moments thought and nodded

"Alright, I wanna be Eridanus Anyone-Else-But-Black" Remus cracked a grin at Sirius "but not Lupin- no offense Remus but Ryder told me and-"

"I get it, 'Danus," Remus assured her.

"I'll take her." All eyes shot over to the doorway once again, Madeye Moody stood there, the same frown on his face as always. "She can pose as my niece or something. Came here from Ilvermorny, I'm the only family she's got." Moody elaborated quickly

"That could work. I'm just worried about Death Eaters targeting her because of her surname." Sirius explained. Eri looked over at Remus with a yawn, the two of them, both tired but they knew the conversation had to happen.

"I'll risk taking the name Moody." The teen spoke up quickly, just wanting it to be over with.

"Alright, we'll work the story out later, Madeye, you joining us tomorrow?" The one-legged man nodded and walked over to the floo, ready to go home.

"'Danus I think you should head up to bed Kiddo," Remus announced, Eridanus said her goodnites and went upstairs, exhausted and ready for her face to meet her pillow once again.

_Eridanus was the first person awake the next morning_

"Good morning Eridanus! Would you like to help me with breakfast, Sirius told me Kreacher hasn't taken kindly to any guests that aren't you." Molly Weasley was overbearing when it came to Eridanus Black, trying endlessly to fill the motherly spot that the girl had been missing since she was a child.

"Sure, I'll get started on the bacon." Eridanus was still soft-spoken and not as confident with everyone else as she was with her brother, Remus, and Ryder. Ginny had gotten a few things out of her but nothing drastic that would be seen as 'bold'

The next people who got up were Remus and Ryder, followed by the Weasleys minus Ron.

"Ry, coffee, or tea?" Ryder was going to answer but something sat in front of him before he could, a glass of juice, Ryder followed the retreating hand to its owner, Remus Lupin.

"Coffee is bad for you and the amount of sugar you put in your tea should give you a heart attack Ryan," Remus responded to his glare.

Eri hid her laughter behind her mug of coffee. Which found a new home in the sink when Sirius walked in.

"Really?" "Health Nut" Eridanus and Ryder responded to their elders' actions simultaneously

"You're gonna get even shorter Eri, Ryder you could spare a few inches for Eri couldn't you?" Remus and Ryder both had smiles that were holding back laughs for their own safety from the young witch, they both learned not to mess with her when Fred and George both got hit with hexes by the girl after they teased her about her height.

"You wanna end up like the twins Siri, keep talking." Eridanus' seemingly dark reply caused Sirius to put his hands up in mock innocence.

"Alright, alright I yield." Molly and Arthur smiled at the pair fondly before joining everyone at the table to eat their breakfast. Their peace was interrupted by Walburga's screeching at someone coming through the door.

"FILTHY DIRTY MUDBLOOD IN _MY_ HOME! BEGONE WITH YOU MUGGLE SCUM!" Eri's head shot up immediately and hurried into the hall so she could calm her mother's portrait.

"Mother please calm down! I don't want to close the curtains, please Mum" Walburga's screaming continued, waking Ron and shocking the bushy-haired girl that walked through the front door with Dumbledore

"AND _YOU_ BRINGING DISGRACE TO THE BLACK NAME! YOU DISGUSTING BLOOD TRAITOR, ERIDANUS GET THAT MAN OUT OF MY HOUSE!" The teen's hands shot up to her ears and tried to calm her mother down again but it ended in Remus and Sirius coming over to close the curtains for her.

"Hello there Hermione, glad to see you again, as you can tell I grabbed a shower since our last meeting" Sirius attempted to joke with the teen. "Dumbledore." He greeted the old wizard. "I see you've met my mother."

"Hello Sirius, glad to see you again too, Professor Lupin, hello." Hermione's eyes trailed to Eridanus Black, her hands were still over her ears, trying to reassure Ryder she was alright. "Hello, I'm Hermione Granger!" The other girl smiled and stuck her hand out for Eri

"Eridanus Black, how are you?" The teens engaged in a conversation, Hermione asked her questions about her life and how she got through the loneliness, and in return, Eri asked her questions about the muggle world. The girls took Hermione's school things upstairs where the two of them stayed for hours, talking about the most random things.

* * *

"Eridanus?"

"Yeah, Hermione?"

"I really hope you're in Gryffindor." Eri sat up from her spot on the carpeted floor

"I really hope I am too Mione." Hermione Granger hated nicknames, thinking them ridiculous, but when Eridanus said it, she truly didn't mind. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave comments and Kudos if you want!
> 
> Hi so this is very fast-paced I know, I promise it will slow down soon, I just want to get through all of the introductions quickly!


	8. five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Five minutes passed, Eridanus Black was now an official hat stall. The hat seemed to nod before opening his mouth, announcing something no one in the room expected, no one other than Ryder, her best friend, who knew her better than anyone else did."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not beta-read I use Grammarly! Enjoy <3 - elle

**_the sorting_ **

* * *

July 13, 1995 

"Sirius?" It was the little things his sister did that reminded him of Regulus, he would always knock before entering, never liked conflict, and always needed their mother's approval. She always knocked, saying that it was only polite, when someone raised their voice she always covered her ears, trying to get away from it, and the look. The look on her face when she did something that was obviously "Not appropriate for an heir to the Black name to do"

"Yeah come on in Kiddo," Sirius always tried to put on a smile for Eridanus, but they both knew it was fake.

"What if I'm sorted into Slytherin? Will you be mad?" Sirius often voiced his hatred for Slytherin around the house, mostly because of their parents,

"Eri, I don't care if you're a bloody Hufflepuff, weak little gits," he muttered under his breath, only to be smacked on the arm for it by his sister

"Hey! Ryder and Tonks are Hufflepuffs. Be nice."

"The point is, I don't care what house you're in, as long as you're happy with it Eri." The teen nodded and turned to walk away, wanting to go read with Hermione. "Eridanus, hold on a moment!" Sirius caught her arm and pulled her back into the room "I'm here if you wanna talk about it."

"Talk about what?" Eri cocked her head to the side, in a questioning manor

"The day you found Mu- Walburga. It must have been really hard for you, and you were so little-" Eridanus turned on her heels and booked it out of the room. "Yeah, I run away from tough conversations too."

* * *

Eridanus Black's hair always stayed at a moderate length, her magic making sure it didn't grow too long. That wasn't to say she liked having her hair long, no, she had tried to cut it, use slicing charms on it, anything and everything she could have thought of, Eri had done it. Now she was sitting in her room, Ginny and Hermione on either side of her, both trying to figure out what to do with her chestnut hair.

"If I may, ladies?" Regulus' voice came through the portrait making Hermione and Ginny turn to look at him, Eridanus only rolled her eyes at him through the mirror. "Curls, and maybe a plait wrapped into a bun at the back of her head using her bangs?" Ginny began to work on the left side of her head, Hermione her right. Soon straight pin locks were turned into beautiful ringlets. Ginny did the bun and Hermione ran through her hair that was left down, loosening her curled locks a bit

"He's good Eri" Ginny laughed as the girls inspected their work

"Yes but we did all the hard work, Gin" Hermione smiled. All the girls laughed and Ginny picked out a dress for Eri to wear, Dumbledore was bringing the sorting hat to the house and everyone was going to watch Eridanus be sorted for the first time. Nobody would tell her what the hat was like though, Sirius kept his mouth shut, and told everyone else not to tell her. He wasn't gonna miss out on watching the amazement on her face as she was sorted, just like he did with Regulus.

"Hey what about this grey-green one?" Ginny pulled an off the shoulder a-line dress out of the closet and showed it to her friends

"Oh no I couldn't, that was my cousin Andromeda's I-"

"It's perfect!" Hermione and Ginny left the room so Eri could get dressed in private. The teen sighed and moved behind her privacy screen to get dressed. Eri looked into the mirror she moved into her room only a year ago from her mother's room, she had filled out since there was another person living with her, making sure she actually ate and didn't read all day in the library. 

"The comb Darling." Alphard's voice came from his portrait "It was my mother's, your mother hated the damn thing, said 'sapphires are disgusting why would Mother ever own such things' but for you, it will be perfect _peu d'amour."_ Eridanus picked up the decorative hair comb, it was encrusted with sapphires, and pure silver, her hands shook a bit as she tucked it into the bun at the back of her head "You look beautiful, Regulus and I are so proud of the young woman you have become My Dear."

Eri opened the door to her room, shoes on, dress perfect, and a small smile stuck onto her face. She held her head high as she walked to the stairs, knowing people were down in the lounge and kitchen, she hesitated, her hand hovered above the railing

Sirius had found some old dress robes that belonged to his father deep into his parents closet, they fit him well enough, he hesitated as he opened the door, ready to watch Eridanus grow up a little bit more, realization struck him, he wouldn't be there when she got her own wand, while she was being fitted for her school robes, he couldn't even stand in line while she searched for more books to stuff into her school trunk at Flourish and Blotts. As he exited the room he noticed a figure at the top of the stairs.

"Together?"

"Duh."

Sirius and Eridanus Black walked down the stairs of Number 12 Grimmauld Place arm in arm, a melancholy but proud smile on Sirius' face while a hidden look of worry settled behind Eri's small smile.

"You look beautiful, Love." The Black siblings smiled at one another

"Father's robes don't look too bad on you, Siri." Sirius put up a look of mock offense before they reached the bottom steps "Thank you."

"For what Eri?"

"For giving me courage."

* * *

"Eridanus look at you! You look incredible" Ginny and Hermione gushed over their handy work on Eri as Sirius took his seat on the couch, everyone was waiting for Dumbledore to come in, having to use the front door since they placed the Fidelius charm on the house the day before.

"Wow, 'Danus look at you," Remus chuckled from his spot next to Sirius, who grumbled something under his breath. "She looks incredible, quit your whining." The werewolf smacked the animagus upside the head.

Soon, Ryder and all the Weasley boys tumbled out of the kitchen, smug looks on their faces as Molly's rolls chased them out. Ryder stopped dead in his tracks when Eridanus caught his glance, her eyes sparkling like the sapphires that laid in her hairpiece, the dress fit every curve on her body perfectly, her perfect lips had a small sheen on them, tinting them a very light red.

"Ryder, mate, you're drooling" Fred nudged his arm

"Sod off, Freddie, Ryder's _in love_ with our cousin over there." Since Eri and Ryder met a little over a month ago they had grown very close. A bit too close if you asked Sirius.

Eridanus bonded with her friends over different things, with Hermione it was books and Hogwarts, Ginny was about how annoying brothers could be, and with Ryder, with him it was different, he didn't try to flirt with her immediately like Ron and Fred had, no. Ryder was nice, he liked it when she was blunt with him, he let her ramble on about her interests, and he was always there for her. He had become her person.

"Oh, hello Ryder, I didn't know you were going to be here today" The Hufflepuff shrugged and walked over to pull Eri into a hug. Another thing she let him do that others couldn't hug her without warning. Sirius always gave some sort of warning when he held her close, not wanting to overstep her unspoken boundaries

* * *

"Hello everyone!" Dumbledore smiled at the Order plus others, a mangy old hat tucked under his arm "Hello Miss Black, you look lovely as ever." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, remembering a young Andromeda Black wearing the same dress many years ago "Is everyone here?" Remus shook his head

"Madeye, Kingsley, and Tonks aren't here yet." as Remus spoke the sound of Madeye's leg and something being knocked overcame from the entrance hall "Never mind."

Sirius' head shot up at a familiar voice scolding Tonks

" _Mum_ , you're _embarrassing_ me! And please don't call me Nymphadora!"

"Tonks!" Eri had also come to know, and love, her klutzy cousin Nymphadora Tonks. They shared the trait of having two left feet and bad luck when it came to tripping over something

"Birdie!" Tonks pulled Eri into a hug, which Eridanus didn't expect, causing them to topple onto the floor, still held close into an embrace "Come ON!" Tonks pulled them both up from the floor, and through the hall "You'll be in Hufflepuff! I just know it." The older girl began to talk about her day at work with Eri and the other kids in the lounge

"Hey, Andi..."

"Sirius get your ass over here and give me a hug this moment." Andromeda and Sirius embraced each other, much more gracefully than Eridanus and Tonks did. "I'm glad you wrote to me."

"I'm glad you believed me"

* * *

"Come on! Put the hat on her head already!" Tonks was impatient as Eri sat on a stool in the lounge, everyone was anticipating that she would be in Gryffindor as the hat was lowered onto her head by Dumbledore.

Sirius gave her a reassuring smile before turning to Andromeda, who looked like she had seen a ghost

"Sirius she looks just like-"

"I know Andi, trust me."

Five minutes passed, Eridanus Black was now an official hat stall. The hat seemed to nod before opening his mouth, announcing something no one in the room expected, no one other than Ryder, her best friend, who knew her better than anyone else did.

* * *

"Though you could be sorted into any of the houses, you will go furthest in... RAVENCLAW"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Eri's a Ravenclaw! I'm a Puff so I really hope that I write her correctly! (Sorry about the Hufflepuff bashing by the way)


	9. six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Honestly I think you wear that dress better than I every did”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy! Remember that this is not beta read and that I use Grammarly - elle

**_eridanus amelia wright-moody_ **

* * *

June 13, 1995 

"Ravenclaw, it's a wonderful house, the house of wisdom and knowledge!" Dumbledore saw the shocked and confused look on Eri's face as the had was taken off her head. Her hair was still perfect, the hair comb shimmered as she moved from her seat, over to Tonks and Ryder.

Sirius gave her a wide smile, trying to show her that he was proud either way, but he saw the hesitation in her eyes as she returned the smile. Madeye nodded over to the door, signaling that he needed to talk to Sirius and Eridanus.

"C'mon Eri" Sirius led his sister out of the now crowded space and into the study.

"Hello, Auror Moody" Eri greeted formally, her head bowed a bit.

"Call me Alastor, please." Eridanus nodded and closed the office door behind her and Sirius. "We have to work on your story Kid, if it's not perfect it'll unravel quickly. Remus mentioned that you have an affinity for memorizing things, how long do you think it'll take you to memorize something written down?"

"Two minutes, give or take." Eri shifted on her feet "Ask me to recite Edgar Allen Poe's 'The Raven' if you don't believe me" Madeye chuckled

"I'll take your word for it."

They sat around in the office for half an hour, writing down the small details about 'her' life, Madeye and Sirius decided that her being his goddaughter was much safer than being her uncle, her mother lived in America but recently passed. Both her parents were English, her father was one of Moody's friends from Hogwarts, her mother decided after her father died that it would be safer to live in America. Madeye and Eridanus tried to get to know each other more, but failed miserably, deciding to let their conversations come more naturally than forced. After signing a paper, Eridanus Black, was now Eridanus Moody, in the eyes of the Ministry of Magic.

"Pop quiz, your father's name?"

"Tucker Wright."

"Mother?"

"Amelia Wright, she never spoke about her side of the family so I don't know her maiden name."

"Who am I?"

"You're my godfather, Alastor Moody, but to me, you're just Alastor."

"What is your full name?"

"Eridanus Amelia Wright, now Moody."

"What did your mother die of?"

"A muggle ailment called cancer."

"And your father?"

"Killed before I was born, Bellatrix Lestrange, you were asked to be my godfather the moment Mum and Dad found out they were having me." Eri got ahead of Alastor "He was Crucioed until he was finally killed by Bellatrix. Using the unforgivable, Avada Kadevra."

"You were right, good memory." Alastor was impressed, to say the least.

"Can we go, I'm hungry." Sirius, who was watching from the closed door, let out a small chuckle and moved to let the teen leave.

"Eri wait a moment," Eridanus stopped before leaving, Alastor left the room to give the siblings privacy, "Ravenclaw huh? You're going to love it, I heard their common room is filled with books, and the library at Hogwarts is incredible, and-"

"Siri, I would much rather be in Gryffindor, but the hat gave me a choice in the end. It told me that Ravenclaw would be my best bet if I want to help you clear your name. I will never regret my decisions, I'll just live with the consequences." Eri gave a small smile and walked away from the conversation, something she did often.

Sirius was shocked by her response, to say the least.

* * *

"Eridanus! Ravenclaw is a wonderful house, as much as I would love to be your dorm mate I'm sure you'll make tons of friends!" Hermione's voice was excited and the smile on her face let Eri know that no one was mad at her for being in Ravenclaw. Ryder gave her a tight hug which she returned quickly, inhaling his scent of coffee, old books, maple syrup, and a bit of car oil.

"I'm happy for you" he whispered into her ear before letting her go.

"Oh Eridanus you look peaky, no matter, let's get you filled up, you'll be fine in no time!" Molly mothered Eridanus often, something that Sirius was both, thankful for, and annoyed by. Eri was his family, and Sirius wasn't known for sharing.

The newly sorted Ravenclaw was forced into a chair and food was piled onto her plate, more food than her little stomach could handle.

They all ate, and spoke, Molly began talking about how much of a mess the house was, about the doxies, just complaining about how 'a little girl shouldn't have to live in this mess.'

Eri's eyes kept trained on the plate before her, holding her tongue. Sure the house was a bit dusty, and sure, the doxies were a bit of an issue, but it was home.

When the Weasley Matriarch mentioned something about taking all the portraits down Eridanus snapped. She stood and opened her mouth, tired of being quiet when this woman- no, _stranger,_ was talking about changing her home.

"Nothing will be changed, put away, or thrown out. This is _my_ home and what I say goes. Molly, I truly appreciate you and what you're trying to do but please. I am not your daughter. Please don't treat me like I am. And any talk about getting rid of my fam- the portraits will not be tolerated." Eridanus turned on her heels and walked out, her hair flowing behind her and her dress elegantly swaying as she walked.

Molly was shocked, no one had ever spoken to her that way.

"I'll go talk to-"

"Ginny it's fine, I'll go." Tonks stood up from her seat and hurried after the teen. Sirius sat there, offering no response to Molly's looks of utter shock.

"Sirius do you mind if I..?" Andromeda gestured to the door, asking if it would be alright to talk to Eridanus

"Go right ahead, just don't-"

"Yeah, I know." Andromeda rushed out of the room and after her daughter and cousin

"They're my family Nym! And she wanted to get rid of them!" The sounds of sobbing let Andromeda Tonks know where Eri's room was

"I know Birdie, it's okay, shhh, it's going to be okay. We won't let her take them down."

Andromeda opened the door and stood there, watching her daughter comfort the teen. Nymphadora had her arms wrapped tightly around Eridanus, rocking her slightly and shushing her.

"Eri, Dora? May I come in?" Eridanus' head nodded from its place against Tonks, and Andi walked into the room, feeling a sense of nostalgia wash over her. Seeing her daughter comfort Eridanus reminded Andromeda of a calmer time when three sisters were thick as thieves. "Honestly I think you wear that dress better than I ever did" Andi chuckled as she took in Eri's looks, her eyes were blue, a similar shade of blue to Narcissa Malfoy nee Black, her face shape was similar to Andromeda and Tonks' and her hair reminded everyone that she was the niece of Alphard and Cygnus Black. She was the perfect blend of Black blood.

"Are you feeling better Birdie?" Nymphadora asked the calming teen who was still laying her head against the older girl.

"Birdie?" Andromeda tried not to laugh.

"Don't-"

"Her favorite Beatles song is Blackbird"

"Shut _up_ Nym!" Eri's laughter was muffled into Nymphadora's shirt

"I'm sorry but there are so many better songs." Tonks laughed, Andromeda joined in on the laughter, running her hand through Eridanus' hair as the teen came back to reality from her world of panic.

* * *

July 17, 1995

"Are you ready to be someone else?" Sirius asked her as Dumbledore informed the siblings that Eridanus would be getting her letter on July 31st

"I'm ready to be Eridanus Amelia Wright-Moody" She nodded 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment and Kudos if you want <3 - elle


	10. seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A glimpse into how different Eridanus and Sirius really are.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not beta read as always  
> There are a bunch of gifs in this one, I thought it would be easier for you to see Eri grow up along with Sirius- elle

**_the past and future collide_ **

* * *

October 11, 1981 

Walburga woke up to her almost fourteen-month-old crying, she reached over to her husband's side of the bed to wake him, he knew how to settle the boys when they were crying, but felt nothing. A rush of reality came to the widow as Eridanus was still screaming her head off. Shaking off the feeling of tiredness, Walburga rushed into her daughter's room, which sat across the hall from the master bedroom for convenience.

Eridanus sat there crying as Kreacher tried to silence her, but nothing worked for the house-elf. Walburga dismissed him silently and picked the sobbing toddler, bouncing her a bit, along with some shushing. The crying kept going. Next was her diaper and if she was hungry. It was neither. And then the feeling of dread washed over Walburga. Molars. She must be teething.

"Eridanus it's alright, love" Walburga comforted her child and sighed, holding her close as she let her eyes drift to the ceiling, all the constellations and stars that had been used as names in their family were there, along with all nine of the planets. The tired mother let her eyes drift to a certain star, Sirius.   


* * *

October 11, 1960

"Orion please go check on Sirius," Walburga whined as the sounds of her son's crying woke both parents

"Come with me Wal', c'mon, he's so sweet when he's tired." Orion pulled his robe on as he convinced his wife to join him in the nursery.

"Oh, fine" Walburga rolled her eyes with a bit of laughter as Orion grabbed her hand and yanked her from the bed.

Both parents hurried into their son's room to see Kreacher, who only seemed to make matters worse, was trying to silence the eleven-month-old.

"Kreacher you may go. Next time Sirius is crying, get Walbura or me." The annoyed father ordered. Orion took a step in front of the crib and pulled baby Sirius out, holding him close as he checked for ailments and the usual things like hunger and a dirty diaper. "Nothing seems to be wrong," Walburga just stood there, feeling useless. "Wal' c'mere, he might be wanting you" Orion gave their son to Walburga, who held him at arm's length.

"'Rion I'm not sure about this"

"Now I can check if he's teething," Orion muttered as his wife looked at the child unsurely. "Wal' hold him closer to your body." Orion Black, a very respected man within the wizarding world took his finger and stuck it into the child's mouth.

"What in Merlin's name-"

"Teething, it was bound to happen soon." He ran a hand through his son's hair before taking the child's favorite toy, a tiny stuffed dog that was given to him by his uncle, Alphard Black, and placed a cooling charm on it before giving it to Sirius, who was trying to get some cuddles from his mother. "There you go, Buddy." Orion took Sirius from Walburga and put him down in the crib, before ushering his wife out of the room. A certain star caught Sirius' eye as he fell asleep, the brightest star in the constellation Leo, Regulus.   


* * *

December 15, 1982

Orion's portrait gave a light smile, knowing how his wife was about the season, even if she didn't allow people over since his death and Eridanus' birth a little over two years ago

"Mummy! I want cookies!" Walburga stopped her screeching for a moment to stick her hand out to her little girl and lead Eridanus into the dining room where Kreacher left chocolate chip cookies out for the sweet-toothed toddler.

"Better?" Her mother questioned as Eridanus looked content

"Yup!"

"Let's go put the star on the tree, my love" Walburga smiled at her daughter fondly as the girl grabbed another cookie before leaving the room hand in hand with her mother.

* * *

December 15, 1961

Orion made Sirius' toys float as the house-elves decorated the tree, Walburga was upstairs nursing Regulus, who had been born six months prior. The two parents divided and conquered with their children, Orion mixed love and discipline when it came to Sirius, he needed to be the perfect heir for the Black fortune.

With Walburga she was mostly discipline, choosing to love her children without showing it through gestures of affection.

"Alright, is the tree ready for the star yet Kreacher?" Walburga asked as she walked in elegantly, Regulus had a gummy smile on his face as he was handed off to his father.

"Yes, Mistress Black."

"Let's get this star on the tree boys!" Walburga always smiled when Christmas came around. They all watched as Orion helped Sirius put the star on the tree, a bit crooked, but nothing magic couldn't fix. "Perfect." Regulus clapped as they all sat in the drawing-room, enjoying the warm feeling that was brought to 12 Grimmauld Place when December arrived.   


* * *

November 3, 1983

Eridanus woke up with a smile on her face, the three-year-old bounded into her mother's room and pulled back the covers to wake her mother up but found the bed empty. Stubborn, the little girl walked around the house, looking into every little room to find her mummy. The only room she hadn't checked, was the one she wasn't allowed into. The dog's room.

"Mummy?" Eridanus peeked her little head into the room, it was filled with posters and photos, along with a big red banner above the bed, with something that looked like a lion on it. "Mummy?" Eridanus noticed a figure on the dusty bed

"Eridanus? What in Merlin's name are you doing in here?" Walburga sat up from the dusty bed and wiped her tears away. She wasn't going to let her baby see her like this, a mother was strong. Not vulnerable.

"I was gonna wake you up, Mamma, but you no there?"

"I think it's time we both go back to bed hmm? It's a bit early and the sun's not even awake yet, my love. Would you like to sleep with me for a bit?" Walburga gave a sad smile as the toddler cocked her head to the side, just like he used to, before nodding. "Let's go my darling Eridanus."

"Okay, My Mummy!"   


* * *

November 3, 1962

"You're three now Sirius!" Orion smiled widely as Sirius just rubbed his eyes and nodded, the boy only yawned again and sat at the table, setting his napkin over his lap as taught by his mother.

"Happy birthday Sirius." Walburga nodded to her son and then sat at the other head of the table.

"Thank you Mother, Thank you, Father." Regulus smiled at his brother from his seat in his highchair being fed by Kreacher.

"Happyeee Birfday Siri!" Regulus announced loudly to his big brother.

Around noon everyone came around and gave gifts and well wishes.

Walburga kissed her son on the head when she put him to bed, quietly telling him that she loved him as he drifted off.

"I love you too Mummy" Sirius mumbled half asleep, that was the last time he would truly say that again.   


* * *

August 20, 1984

"Kreacher begin breakfast, I will go wake Eridanus." The house-elf nodded and bowed before leaving the room with a crack, Walburga looked at her husband's side of the bed with a longing look. Her daughter would never know her father. A small sob escaped the widow's lips before her body was wracked with them. She truly did miss her husband, with the loss of her youngest son and her oldest's life imprisonment she knew that the day would come when Eridanus would be without her, alone in the world. The woman dried her tears and put on a soft smile she saved for her young daughter. Walburga walked down the halls of 12 Grimmauld Place, her slippers muffling her steps as she approached her daughter's room. The mahogany door had a small sign she let the little girl put up 'Eridanus's room, no Kreetcers alouwed.' Walburga smiled fondly, remembering a sign similar on Sirius' door when he was Eridanus' age. The spelling made the mother cringe though, noting it was something to work on. Walburga opened the door slowly and stepped into the room, her daughter hadn't moved rooms like her sons had when they became toddlers, opting to stay in the nursery close with her mum. "Good morning my darling, the sun's awake," The mother ran a hand through Eridanus' straight hair, undoing some of the tangles from the long mess.

"No-" Eridanus' little voice protested as Walburga moved to open the curtains and let the sunlight in

"Yes my love, the sun's awake, it's time to play!" Walburga had fallen into the role of mother after her husband's death much easier than when she had Sirius and Regulus. After seeing the consequences of her actions to Sirius as he grew up Walburga learned that a child needs more than discipline. She still had the same views on anyone deemed 'impure' as before but she was still a mother, someone who needed to care for her child.

"Play?" Eridanus' head pulled away from the soft pillow she was laying it on and looked at her mother. Walburga nodded and kissed her daughters forehead before pulling the girl out of bed

"Why of course, but first, we must tame your hair and get you dressed for the day hmm?" Eridanus followed her mother to the vanity and sat, while Walburga hummed little songs and brushed her hair. "One day my love, you shall meet your first cousin Draco, but first I must announce that I had my final child, my beautiful little girl!" Eridanus giggled at her mother's announcement, making Walburga smile sadly, Sirius used to laugh that way when he played with Regulus.

"Hogwarts?" the four-year-old chimed, her smile wide, making her mother chuckle at the idea of sending her to the ridiculous school that made her oldest son rebel against her.

"Oh no my darling, I shall teach you here, or better yet, I'll send you to Beauxbatons or Durmstrang! They're a bit far but anywhere but Hogwarts, my love." Eridanus nodded solemnly before standing

"May I wear the pink dress, today Mummy?"

"You may wear any dress you'd like, Darling" 

* * *

August 20, 1964

"SIRIUS ORION BLACK IF YOU DON'T STOP THAT RIGHT NOW-" Sirius, now four, was being screamed at by his mother for pranking one of the house-elves. The young man made a break for it, running from his mother's hexes and into his room, which had a sign on it 'Sirius' room, Kreacher's and Mothers may GO AWAY' hung on the dark door.

The young man laid on his bed, wishing that his eleventh birthday would come much sooner.

* * *

September 18, 1985

Eridanus knew her mother was sick, her father's portrait had told her when she was sneaking into the library one night, saying that Eridanus should be easier on her mother, less exhausting games and tasks. The five-year-old nodded and hurried into the library with her candle in hand, ready to ready about hippogryphs and why you should never insult one.

December 24, 1985

The house was quiet as Eridanus padded through the hall waking all the portraits and laughing about how it was Christmas Eve. The fond looks that she was given only fueled her spirit more, she opened the door to her mother's room and hurried to her mother's side

"Mummy it's Christmas Eve!" The little girl announced trying to wake her mother "Mummy? The Sun's awake Mummy! Mummy wake up! Wake up, PLEASE WAKE UP! KREACHER!" The house-elf came into the room, quickly hurried to Walburga's side, and looked at the woman knowingly. He ushered the girl out of the room and took her to the library, which didn't last long, Eridanus' accidental magic apparated her to her mother's bedroom again right after Kreacher closed the doors to the library.

"Miss Eridanus, please!" Kreacher tried to make the girl leave again but nothing worked. Eridnaus hugged her mother's body close, trying to hear the thumping of her heart but nothing was heard. She didn't yell or scream about her mother, only silently cried as she knew it would be a very long time until someone would hold her close the way Walburga did.

"Write a letter to everyone saying that she is gone and that there shall be no funeral. Her will shall not be read no matter what. We will bury her in the garden with Father under the ash tree." Eridanus sounded much older as she ordered the house elf "we must respect her wishes. Even if it is to keep me a secret." Kreacher nodded and began moving Walburga's body out of the room so he could begin the procedures for when a Black family member dies.

* * *

December 24, 1975

"IF YOU HATE IT HERE SO MUCH THEN LEAVE" Walburga's screeching caused the house to vibrate a bit. Sirius said nothing as he ran up the stairs and took everything he cherished from his room and shoved it into his school trunk.

"Fine." He said as he walked down the stairs, his trunk thumping along with him. One person stopped him before he could leave, Regulus.

"Don't leave, please, it's Christmas Eve'' his baby brother begged, Sirius only planted a kiss on his forehead and opened the door, glaring at the house one final time, before leaving. For what he thought was forever.

Silent tears streamed down Sirius' face as he walked to the Leaky Cauldron, asking to use the floo, he shouted out 'Potter Manor' The sixteen-year-old Sirius Black tumbled through the floo, his trunk following him, into a heap on Euphemia Potter's carpeted floor. 

"Padfoot?"

"Prongs I'm so sorry mate but my mu- Walburga she was-"

"Shut up. C'mere Pads" James Potter pulled his best friend, and brother, into a tight hug before calling for his mother "Mum, you don't mind if Sirius stays with us for a while? Do ya?" Euphemia smiled at both the boys before pulling Sirius into a tight embrace

"Call me Mia, Darling." Sirius only hugged the woman tighter whispering 'thank you' over and over

* * *

December 24, 1995

Both Black siblings sat in the sitting room, the old Christmas tree was put up by Molly, Bill, and the twins. Eridanus had tears in her eyes as she looked around the room. She hadn't celebrated Christmas since she was four. 

Sirius glared at the tree, remembering the last Christmas he spent in this house. It was one of the best and worst he ever had. He stood up from his seat and hurried up the stairs, knowing something that would bring a better mood to the room. He came back down with a muggle record player, and a Beatles album, the older Black placed the needle on a specific ridge and started the record player 

"Here comes the sun, do, dun, do, do" 

"C'mon," Sirius pulled Eridanus up from the couch, her dress was a light blue color, complimenting her eyes, Sirius had their father's old clothes on still, his clothes from when he was sixteen still not fitting. 

"Sirius I don't-" 

"I know, just this once." 

The two siblings swayed to the song, Eri tried to swallow her sadness as to not bother her brother, and Sirius just wanted to make her smile. 

"Little darling, the smiles returning to their faces" Sirius sang along to the song, Eri laughed a bit, the tears in her eyes falling silently. 

"Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here" She sang along with her brother, both having smiles on their faces. Sirius wiped Eridanus' tears away as she silently sobbed, he slowly pulled her into him for a tight hug.

"Merry Christmas Eridanus," 

"Merry Christmas Sirius." 

Eri moved from her brother's arms and into the hall, where her mother's portrait was stuck to the wall.

"Mummy?" 

" _Merry Christmas My Darling Eridanus_." 

" _Merry Christmas My Mummy._ "

* * *

" _It's alright_ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment and kudos if you want! 
> 
> I'd just like to say that, I'm not sorry, I think you should see Eridanus and Sirius' traumas and how they are both similar and very different, I also changed many things about Walburga and Orion's characters. I personally believe that Walburga suffered from postpartum depression after both Sirius and Regulus's births and handled that condition differently when it came to her two boys. With Eri's childhood, she saw what her cruel and cold behavior did to both of her sons and tried to better, I can't lie, I do think that Walburga would lash out every once and a while but she really did try to do better after losing both of her sons. That's really why I wrote this whole chapter, honestly, I wanted to give Walburga more character other than screeching about impure things from her portrait. 
> 
> xo - elle


	11. eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “When’s your birthday?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not beta read like always! - elle

**_ollivander knows all_ **

* * *

August 1, 1995

Eridanus Black, now Eridanus Wright-Moody, walked through Diagon Alley with Alastor Moody, the smile on her face was enough for anyone to know that this was her first time in the alley, before leaving Grimmauld the retired Auror set some ground rules

1\. Stick to the plan   
2\. Stay away from Knockturn Alley  
3\. If anyone questions you, don't be suspicious   
4\. Don't let anyone question you  
5\. If you see anyone from the Order, say and do nothing.

Yeah.

Alastor tried to give the girl a normal experience, she got her cauldron and books quickly, then her robes, and finally it was time to get her wand.

"Hello there- Alastor Moody! I assume your wand is still working well?"   
"Oh yes Ollivander, working just fine, I'm here to get Eridanus here a wand." Said teen walked out from behind Alastor and gave an awkward smile and wave before being beckoned over

"Let's see here huh?" The man measured her wand arm and looked her up and down thoroughly "I remember your parents and brothers Eridanus _Black,_ and I believe I have the perfect wand for you." Alastor's hand went to his wand holster but Eri put her hand up, wanting the wandmaker to continue. "Maple wood with a dragon heartstring core, 12 1/2 inches its unyielding flexibility." Ollivander handed the wand to the teen with caution and motioned for her to give it a try

"Lumos Maxima!" The whole shop was lit up with light from the tip on the wand, it felt perfect in the girl's grip. Runes were carved into the handle, but only on three sides, if held wrong it would act as a booby trap and the spell that was cast, would backfire onto the caster.

"Perfect! I've only made four perfect choices in my time as a wandmaker and two of them were for _your_ brothers Miss Black." Ollivander smiled at the teen, who smiled back

"How much do I owe you, Sir?"

"Eleven galleons" Eri handed the gold coins to the wandmaker and turned to leave with Alastor before asking

"How did you know I was me? The only person who knows about me was my mum?" The teen questioned

"I know of all the powerful witches and wizards before they become who they are, I must prepare the perfect wands for them haven't I?" Eri looked at the man for a moment before thinking about it and nodding and waving a goodbye

 _"_ Let's get you back home-" Alastor was stopped mid-sentence when Eridanus rushed into the familiar shop, "-or not. Eridanus!"

* * *

"We're back!" Sirius bounded into the hall where Eridanus and Alastor stood, the latter muttering something about needing a drink

"Let me see your wand Eri- what the hell is that thing?" Eri held up her familiar with a wide smile and showed her off her big brother

"It's a kneazle! Isn't she cute?" The deep ginger-colored kneazle looked at the man and hissed at him "Ophelia that's not nice, that's my brother, Sirius! Be nice." The cat's hissing stopped quickly, listening to her owner.

"I'm not sure cute is the word for-"

"Eridanus you're back- YOU GOT A CAT!" Hermione hurried over to her friend and started petting Ophelia

"Technically she's a kneazle" Eri laughed

"Oh, what's her name?" The other girl asked as Crookshanks made his way to his second favorite person, Eri.

"Ophelia _,_ from Hamlet." Both the girls smiled as the said cat began to purr

"Eri, how old is it- she- _Ophelia_?"

"Oh, she's just a kitten. The lady at the shop said she'll get even bigger." Sirius' eyes nearly popped out of his head

"Eri, she's as big as Crookshanks!"

"You're exaggerating Sirius! She's not- well..." The kneazle meowed loudly as she was sat on the floor next to Crookshanks, who sniffed her just before purring loudly and rubbing against the other feline.

The Weasley children made their way into the hall and Ron took one look at the kneazle and left. Ginny and George sat down and pet the cats along with Hermione, Fred just looked at the cats and laughed a bit and left after Ron, saying something about how he felt bad for the mice of Hogwarts. Ophelia made her way over to Sirius and meowed at him, almost like a toddler begging to be picked up.

"You cats are going to be the death of me." He muttered before picking her up and letting the kitten cuddle to him.

Ophelia understood that her owner enjoyed these people so she should too, especially Eridanus' brother.

"Lunch is ready everyone- oh my Merlin is that a kneazle!" Molly's voice exclaimed before shaking her head, as if not believing it. "I haven't seen a pure kneazle in years. My word"

Everyone made their way into the kitchen, including Ophelia and Crookshanks, and sat at the table. Everyone ate quickly and made conversation

"'Danus, what did you think of the outside world?" Remus asked as the teen reached down to pet her familiar

"It was very loud. People are rude, and Mr. Ollivander knows everything." She announced. Sirius' face had a look on is as if he had remembered something

"Let me see your wand"

The teen handed the wand over to him with a smile as he inspected it.

"Dragon heartstring?"

"Yep"

"What flexibility?"

"Unyielding."

"Brilliant!"

"I know right!"

"The runes are helpful you know Mei? They're like a booby trap. Ask Moony" Remus looked at the teen's wand and cringed inwardly

"Those _with_ unyielding? I feel bad for the poor soul who would dare steal your wand, 'Danus." Sirius laughed at Remus' reaction

"See if you hold it the wrong way the spell that you cast at someone else gets cast back at you." Sirius showed her the right and wrong way to hold the wand before giving it back to the teen.

"Hey, Alastor? Do I have a trace on me?" The ex Auror waited a moment before answering

"Now that you're using the name Moody and the Ministry knows you exist, yes. You will have it until you're seventeen." The teen nodded and finished off her lunch, thanking Molly, then moved into the sitting room.

Sirius found his way to a seat next to his sister and just sat for a while before voicing a thought

"When's you're birthday?"

"The thirteenth, why?"

"No reason."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comment and kudos if you want! - elle


	12. Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “God Nephew?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Same old thing, not beta read! - elle

**_god nephew_ **

* * *

August 2, 1995

"Where's everyone going?" Eri's voice traveled through the sitting room as Tonks, Alastor, Kingsley, and other witches and wizards she didn't know the names to left through the front door with their brooms.

"Harry's been attacked, Eri," Sirius said, grumbling about something in the _Daily Prophet_

"By who?"

"Not a who 'Danus, a what, two whats. Dementors attacked him." Remus answered before sitting on the couch with Sirius, Eridanus had grown to like the werewolf, he was nice to her and often slipped her chocolate even after Sirius told him not to.

"Is he alright!? Why didn't anyone tell me? Oh my, Merlin-" Eridanus went on a rant about a person she hadn't even met, she was sweet like that, if someone was important to Sirius then they were important to Eri if Sirius didn't like a person (even if it were for the dumbest thing) she refused to even look at them.

"Star you don't even know Harry, why are you so worried love?" Ryder slipped an arm around the back of Eri's seat, which he promptly removed when Sirius sent a mean glare his way.

"If he's important to Siri then he's important to me Ry! By the way, you look really peaky, like Remus does around the moon. Oh, Remus! The moon's tomorrow night, would you mind answering some questions about how it feels before the moon at all?" Eridanus had truly come out of her shell lately, maybe it had something to do with her going to Diagon Alley or her new friendship with Hermione, but something changed.

Ryder shifted slightly before shaking off the reminder of the moon being so close.

Remus smiled at the eager girl and nodded before going back to consoling Sirius about Harry. Eri pulled out her notebook and a muggle pen that Hermione gave her and wrote a reminder in the margin on a page surrounding the full moon and days leading up to it. She had taken a large interest in werewolves and properly documenting what pain they truly go through and how hurtful mainstream media is towards them.

Ryder looked at Eridanus adoringly as she wrote in her neat writing on the lined page. Remus told him it was best not to tell her about _his_ furry little problem just yet but the teen just wanted her to know. He wanted the attention that she gave Remus. He wanted her wide eyes and invasive questions to be directed towards him.

Eridanus was completely clueless and everyone in 12 Grimmauld Place knew that.

Albus informed the adults that the meeting was about to start and that they should be in the kitchen soon. Eridanus and Ryder along with all of the Weasley children attempted to sneak into the kitchen before the meeting started, Hermione stayed behind because she knew better, especially after the scolding she and the Weasleys had gotten from Molly the night before.

"Eridanus."   
  
"Sirius?"

"Out. Now."

"But-"

"You too, Ryder. Weasleys, your best survival option is to leave before your mother catches you." Remus nodded towards the door and all the teens but Eri filed out.

"Why can't I be in here? I'm quiet! You know that Siri, I always sneak up on you even when I don't mean it. And I won't tell the other kids I promise! And-" Sirius pulled Eri into a tight embrace

"You have already grown up too much. Go be a teenager Eri, out of the kitchen, an hour is all I ask, then you can barge in here and be as nosy as you want." He whispered into her ear before letting her go and pushing her towards the door.

Sirius had no idea how she had been before their mother died but he knew that she got to be a child. For five years she got to be a child. And then she was forced to grow up way too fast. Burying your mother at five, raising yourself with little to no help from the one living thing said mother left you with. No one should have to live that way, but she did. For ten years she did. It was her turn to be a kid, to be rebellious, get into trouble, hell, he might just send her a letter saying how proud he was of all the chaos she should cause. Sirius loved his sister, wanted everything for her. If she asked him to kill someone he would. Without question.

But would she do the same?

Eridanus would give her life for Sirius, if he had asked her to the week after they met, hell no! But now that she knows him, and cares for him. Of course, she would die for him. She would kill for him. She would kill Hermione if she was forced to choose between her brother and one of her only friends.

And she knew that Sirius would do the same. He would never have to say it.

Ron, Hermione, Ryder, and Eri all sat in Ron and Ryder's room, Ryder and Eridanus on one bed and Hermione and Ron on the other. Both girls reading, Eri occasionally wrote something down in her notebook, and both guys spoke about a recent quidditch game. The door opened about fifteen minutes later, Hermione barreled into the person exclaiming something about Dumbledore

"Let the man breathe 'Mione" Ron laughed

"Ryder! How have you been mate I've gotten all your owls, sorry I haven't responded." So that was Harry, the famous Harry Potter, he could use some meat on his bones.

"Ah it's alright, someone has been keeping me busy, the know it all" Ryder chuckled to himself, he moved out of the way to reveal a petite girl, almost too skinny for her own good if you didn't know her, the girl's hair was perfect, her eyes too, everything about her was perfection. She was obviously related to Sirius.

"Hello, I'm Harry." The Boy Who Lived stuck his hand out to the last unmarried and undisowned Black

"I'm Eridanus, or Eri, or 'Danus if you want to shorten it." She was just as awkward as Harry at first, both of them having weird grins on their faces as they shook hands and asked each other things to get to know them. Turns out eleven years in a cupboard under the stairs and ten alone in the house hidden from the unpure and traitorous can have similarities unmatched by anyone else.

When Ryders watch set off at an hour from the alarm that Eridanus put on it, she raced down the stairs and banged on the kitchen doors.

"An hour already? Time flys Eri! Give me just another-" Eri pushed past her brother and sat at the table next to Remus who gave her a slightly disapproving look when Sirius and Molly looked over but a very discreet high-five when they went back to the meeting.

"Black." The man Eridanus would come to know as Severus Snape drawled out. "Why should a child be here. It is entirely idiotic to have her here, are you that incapable-" The Blacks had a habit of cutting people off mid insult. In this case, Eri chucked a torn-off piece of a roll at the man's head to shut him up, effectively making Sirius laugh and Remus cover a smile with his hand.

"Refrain from insulting my brother please."

"Control the child Black or I will."

"I'd like to see you try you greasy-haired, sniveling, git!" Eridanus and Sirius both drew their wands at the same time that Snape had.

"Alright. I think that is enough for tonight. Molly would you so kindly get the children down here for dinner while I take care of these too." Remus said through gritted teeth. Eri shrunk down into her chair and Sirius only put his wand away. Both looking like kicked puppies.

"Well Eri, you ready to meet your god nephew?" Sirius smiled at the pouting teen. Both siblings were too alike for their own good.

" _God Nephew_?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave kudos and comments if you want but they are appreciated! - elle


	13. ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "They don't want me 'Dromeda, none of them do"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> you know by now - elle

**_they don't want me_ **

* * *

Eridanus Black was patient. She was kind. And she was intelligent. But some people, she just wanted to punch in the face. Like Severus Snape.

"Black, the next time the Order meets, make sure that child is nowhere near here. She is a menace." The grump ordered "Almost worse than Potter and Lupin." Snape nodded at the door before leaving via floo.

"What's up his-"

"Alright Eri, sit. Don't be a pest to Molly while she cooks now." Eridanus swatted at Sirius as he walked by her for his patronizing words. She felt Ryder's hand on her shoulder as he sat next to her, both of them blocking out what was going on around them, engaging in a silent conversation between them both.

"'Don't be a pest Eri' I'll show you pest you flea-ridden mangy mutt," Eridanus muttered as everyone sat around the table. She nodded a 'hello' to Harry once again who returned it with a smile.

"Star be nice to your brother, you only have the living one left, mooch off of him as long as you can." Ryder joked with her. Eri let out a bell-like laugh before covering it with a cough when Sirius caught her glance, they must have been talking about something serious.

"That's not funny Ry" She laughed from behind her goblet. Ryder and she were in their own little world until the yelling started, scaring Eridanus half to death. Sirius felt awful as he noticed his sister grow more and more uncomfortable with Molly's yelling.

"Alright. Alright! ENOUGH! Sirius quit talking about things you're not meant to with Harry, Mrs. Weasley, Harry is not a child anymore, and quite honestly neither am I, you mustn't treat us as if we are!" Eri sat back down, enjoying the quiet for a moment before everyone began talking again. Remus noticed her shaking in her spot.

"Alright then, enough about the Order, Sirius, Harry, you two should catch up." Remus gave the older man a stern look "'Danus come with me, I have a book I want to show you." The teen and the werewolf leave the kitchen together, one behind the other, Remus leading Eri away from prying eyes. "What has you so shaken up 'Danus? I know you don't like yelling but something else has you like this. You know you can talk to me or Sirius" Eri nodded before dropping to the carpeted floor sobbing onto her dark purple dress.

"Will Sirius replace me with Harry?" Remus dropped next to her and wrapped the teen into a tight embrace

"You will always be his sister Danus. Nothing will ever change that." Eri didn't stop crying. The teen was due for a breakdown. It took Sirius till their third year for his first big one. Who knows what she had gone through all those years alone. "What has you thinking this way?"

Eri sighed deeply before finally meeting his eyes for only the second time that night "Regulus told me that he was replaced with a Potter not too long ago, I guess I'm afraid that I'll be replaced with a Potter too." She said, her voice wavering, a bit unsure.

"And you've been pushing it down, instead of talking to me or Sirius, or even Ryder?" Eri nodded, looking back down at her dress. "Eri, next time something like this is bothering you, please tell one of us. I know you're not used to having people to help you but you need to know that you cant bottle these things up. When you do you'll eventually explode, as you did with Kreacher on the day we met, you remember that?" Eridanus let out a light laugh before pushing away from Remus and walking towards the kitchen again.

"Hey, where did you go? I was looking for the both of you upstairs" Ryder caught onto Eri's arm as she came closer.

"Oh Remus couldn't find it so we checked the library" She lied easily

"Alright, come back to dinner, Sirius is telling stories about his days at Hogwarts" She nodded and watched as he walked away

"Are you coming back in with me?" Remus came up behind her, placing a hand on her shoulder. 

"Yeah, I'll be in there soon, just going to freshen up upstairs." Eri made her way up the staircase quietly. Her knees felt heavy and her hands were shaking as she climbed one by one. The teen walked past her room and towards her mothers, where Sirius was sleeping until his room was curse free. "Mum?"

In the room was a portrait that had a silencing charm placed over it. The portrait was of all five of the Black family, Eri being added by a house-elf not too long after her birth. Walburga may have been disappointed and disgraced by Sirius in her eyes but he was still her son, and she would love him unconditionally until the day of her final breath. With a wave of her wand Eridanus cast a silent spell to undo the one put on by her brother 

"Hello, Eridanus." Her mother's tone was warm and kind "What brings you to me, today Sweetheart?" It had been a long time since the girl had seen this younger version of her mother. The portrait was charmed so that it did not age along with her parents and brothers, and it would stop aging her when she reached seventeen herself. 

"I just miss you, Mummy. I miss you so much, I miss you every day! I don't want to, I want to move on I want to live, but I can't. Because I miss you." Walburga's hand moved out as if to touch Eri but never left the frame. As Eridanus wished it would do every second longer she looked at her family. "I don't want to miss you anymore" her voice was almost a whisper as she looked into the eyes of her dead family. The eyes of Sirius in the portrait would never be the same eyes that lived in Sirius now. "And I love you. I love and miss you. I miss the songs you used to hum, I miss Christmas time because of how happy you were. I want to feel you hold me, close Mummy. I never realized how much I miss it until I look at you." 

Downstairs, Andromeda Tonks walked through the floo and into the kitchen, a bag full of Nymphadora's old clothes and shoes floating behind her. Her eyes questioning as she looked for the teen the clothes were for. Sirius shrugged and kept eating and Remus wordlessly pointed to the ceiling, indicating she was upstairs. 

Andi knocked on Eri's door to no answer, she looked around in the room before going to check other open doors and ended up peering into the master bedroom. Finding an unknowingly sobbing Eridanus and a portrait of her aunt, uncle, and all three of her baby cousins. 

"I miss the early mornings, do you remember that Mum? 'The Sun's awake it's time to play!' You used to say that every morning before you opened another bottle of that stupid drink! You- you- you knew it made you sick. Did you just not love me enough to live Mum? Is that it? I WANT ANSWERS!" Eridanus was swiftly pulled into an embrace by Andromeda, who seemed to be holding back tears too "She didn't love me 'Dromeda, she never loved me" Her hiccups and sobs were ragged as she tried to breathe

Andi pulled her down onto the bed and stuck a pillow onto her lap for the teen to lay her head on, she shushed Eri as she brushed through her hair. 

"They don't want me 'Dromeda, none of them do" Andromeda's heart broke into a million little shards as she could only attempt to comfort the crying girl 

"I think you need a break Eridanus, just for a bit. If you'd like you can stay with me and Dora for a little while, only until your birthday, I'm sure Sirius would want to go all out for that." Andi didn't stop petting Eri's hair, even when she didn't get a response, only hearing light snores come from the girl. 

Andromeda carried Eri to her bedroom and tucked her in, humming a wizarding nursery rhyme lightly before just watching the girl, watching how at peace she looked while she slept. 

"I do love her Andi" Came Sirius' voice, quieted by a whisper "I love her so much, but she just looked so much like them when she was being sorted that I just- I don't know. I feel guilty for making her feel like that and-" 

"I'm going to stop you right there Sirius Orion. She went to your mother before she went to you. She trusts a _portrait_ more than she does you with her feelings, with her shattered little heart. Maybe focus less on your chosen family that seems to have a lot more people who care about them than you and focus a little more on your real family. Your _blood._ Eridanus needs people who can listen, who can be there with her at all times if she needs them. She was left at age five. She is most likely mentally still a child. She needs to see a mind healer. She needs so much more than you can give her Sirius. She needs a parent." Andromeda stopped her ranting for a moment so she could leave Eri's room as to not wake the girl "Eri needs a family. Now Remus, Nymphadora, and I are trying our damnedest to be that for her while you go off and take care of _Harry_ but I can't be with her twenty-four seven if she's living here." Sirius huffed for a moment, trying to control his temper so that he wouldn't alert the whole house with his yelling 

"What I'm hearing is that you want to take her away from me. Her brother. To live where? With you? Remus? Merlin forbid with Tonks!" Sirius laughed dryly. 

"If she wants to live with me then she can. But she will not stay here. Not while I'm still breathing." Andi turned her nose up at Sirius "She is a child. You know nothing about children Sirius. If and when your name is cleared what do you plan to do for her? Leave her here, alone, again, while you go off and live with Harry, telling him all about his father, how amazing of a prankster he was? You can't just abandon her again and again Sirius!" 

"I'm not abandoning her Andromeda!" Sirius glared 

"It sure seems like you are Sirius!" Remus had come upstairs to see what the shouting was about, finding Sirius and Andromeda arguing about Eridanus 

"Alright let's move this downstairs and away from 'Danus' door guys" Remus quickly became the mediator of the argument as all three of them moved into the study on the ground floor. 

Andromeda began explaining what happened to Remus who seemed to be unsurprised at what she said about Eridanus and the painting, he then explained what happened in the hallway when he pulled the teen away from dinner. 

"So that's it. I'll talk to her about living with me until school starts and then she can live with me during the summer and visit when she wants." Sirius opened his mouth to start arguing this statement but they were interrupted by a knock at the door, Ryder stuck his head in 

"Star- Eri is calling out for her mum, what do we do?" Sirius went pale and Andromeda rushed out of the room, Remus trailing after her. 

Eridanus was calling out for her mother to wake up, her face wet with fresh tears. Kreacher was sat on the end of her bed, silently attempting to soothe the teen from her dream. Andromeda walked in and sat on her bed, dismissing the house-elf and running her fingers through Eri's hair, singing a lullaby, successfully waking the scared teen up. 

"Mummy?" Andi had seen this a million times at work at St. Mungos, she was trained for this. 

"Hello Darling, the sun's not awake just yet, let's go back to bed huh?" Eri nodded and settled back into her bed before she slipped back into unconsciousness once again. "Can you do that when her dreams get so bad that she's screaming out for her mother, Sirius? Can you handle that?" 

"No, I can't Andi. I'm sorry." Andromeda nodded and accepted his apology silently before ushering everyone out of the room. 

"She will move in with me and come back for her birthday on the thirteenth." 

"It's what's best Padfoot." 

* * *

Lauren Graham as Andromeda Tonks

"Well, are you going to just stand there or come give me a hug Eri?" 

"I've missed you, Andi" 

"I missed you too, Baby" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos if you want!


	14. eleven

**_like sisters_ **

* * *

__

_August 3, 1995_

The next day for Eridanus Black was hectic, to say the least.

She had people flying around the house yelling things about boxes and clothes, the weirdest thing though, was that Andi brought her husband along with her and Nym.

Eri grabbed her giant of a best friend and dragged him into her bedroom, hiding away from all the stress and ruckus downstairs. They sat on her bed for hours before someone disturbed the two.

Ryder was ducking from a decorative pillow being thrown at his head by the oddly strong-armed Eri when Sirius came up to get them for lunch

"Sirius mate, you wouldn't believe how hard she can throw a pillow, and with incredible accuracy. I mean she's good enough to beat a pro quidditch player" The young man laughed as another pillow made its way towards his head.

"Oh hush, you're just mad that I spoiled Macbeth for you!" Eri laughed as if she hadn't had a breakdown yesterday. Sirius shook his head at the two and ushered them out of the room and down into the kitchen where food was waiting. The teens sat down and dug in quickly, Ryder making little remarks about Eri under his breath to annoy her, Sirius left the pair alone for a bit.

"Nobody try to talk books with Eri, she might tell you the ending" Eridanus rolled her eyes at his childish acts and ended up retaliating by using her spoon to catapult her green beans at his head from across the table. "Hey!"

"You started it!"

"Did not!"

"Did too, toe-rag."

"You did not-"

"Oh, I did!"

Both teens started scooping their carrots onto their spoons and hurled them at one another, Eri reached over and snagged his roll and began chucking pieces of it at his head

"What is it with you and throwing rolls at men?" Tonks came into the room and laughed at the sight. The best friends looked up with innocent eyes but were met with rolls thrown at them by Tonks "Must be a genetic thing." She laughed. Both teens looked at each other and picked up the basket of rolls and loaded up, before chasing the older girl out of the kitchen with rolls and other bread that resided in the basket

The trio threw bread back and forth until a wand stopped the throwing of bread completely

"Dora! Eri! Ryder." Remus had been the one to stop them all. With Andromeda behind him and Ted Tonks behind her.

"She called me a toe-rag"

"He was making comments under his breath like a coward! If you have something be a man and say it to my face jerk"

Her annoyance was highlighted by the throwing of a final roll right at Ryder's head.

"Okay that's it-" Ryder walked marched over to Eridanus, picked her up by her waist, and threw her onto the dusty couch "I am not a coward Star, you're just overly brave." Dust flew up when Eri made contact with the old thing.

Andromeda laughed as Eridanus got up from the couch and had dust and dirt covering her from head to toe. She cast a quick cleaning spell over the teen and spelled all the rolls back into the kitchen to be thrown away.

"Alright, Sirius, Eri, Ted, and Dora all into the kitchen, we have things to discuss," Andromeda announced, Ted introduced himself to Eridanus with a slight wave before sitting with his wife at the table. Kreacher gave Eri another plate of food which Tonks sat next to her and snacked off of. Sirius sat at the head of the table as always.

"Eri, how would you feel about living with Andi and Ted?" Sirius got right to the point, mistakenly when the teen was mid-bite.

Eridanus was in a fit of coughs at the question.

Tonks patted her back as Eri choked on a carrot.

Sirius and Ted tried not to laugh, Andi looked highly concerned.

She was fine, the carrot got unstuck. The shock was still there though.

"I'm sorry what?"

"Well," Andromeda started "After last night, Sirius and I were talking and you need a real home, with sunshine and normalcy, plus we have Dora's old room and nothing to do with it, plus you can visit Sirius and Kreacher whenever you want, have Hermione and Ginny over for sleepovers, you could be a kid Eri!" Andromeda was amazing and Ted seemed nice enough to the teen, but what about the plan with Madeye?

"What about the plan with Madeye, and wouldn't we have to tell the ministry where I'm living?" Ted nodded, understanding her concern

"We can fix all of that, no one at the ministry has seen your face right? Then we can take you to the ministry and have you put into our care, you don't have to decide now, but it's best that we do it sooner rather than later." He explained carefully.

"And if you do decide to live with them," Sirius gave a light smile "Madeye can make a report saying that Eridanus Wright died of a highly contagious disease, the ministry would never want to investigate then." Eri looked over at Tonks who was smiling encouragingly

"Would I be a Tonks?"

"You can be whoever you choose to be Sweetie" Andi reached over and took Eri's hand into hers

"Can I just be me? I know it puts me at risk and you don't need to worry about anymore that you should but-" Sirius stopped Eri's rambling with a raise of a hand

"Honestly, I don't think anyone would question your name, they'd probably just think you're my daughter, I was kind of a slu-"

"Alright, that's enough Sirius." Andromeda cut him off quickly. "But if you change your mind about your last name just let us know, it's just a few sickles and a signature." Eri's hand was pulled back into a grasp "if you want to live with us, at least until Sirius' name is cleared, we better start packing your room up, for a fourteen-year-old you have a lot of books"

"Okay let's get to packing, but I have one more question."

"Of course Sweetheart what is it?"

"Would you be okay with Ryder hanging out with me when I live with you?" Though Andromeda and Ted weren't fond of the idea, a boy who also happened to be a werewolf being Eridanus' best friend who she hangs out with _alone_ constantly they couldn't deny her, her best friend.

"He's a complete gentleman when it comes to Eri, and he's a Hufflepuff if that helps any?" Sirius informed them. A look of relief washed over Andi and Ted's faces.

Tonks looked excited when Eri agreed to live with her parents. She was almost bouncing as the group made their way upstairs and into Eridanus' room. Finally seeing the room in daylight, it was organized aside from the pillows thrown onto the floor from earlier and the stack of books on her desk. Her vanity had small pieces of her mother's jewelry strewn about, her brush, some hair ribbons, pins, and a little handheld mirror were sitting on the antique. The walls were lined with bookshelves and there was a privacy divider near her walk-in closet. The room had navy blue and dark purple accents around with cream-colored walls and fluffy carpeting. Her bed was large, it grew with her as she aged like many things in the room did, on it laid her kneazle kitten, Ophelia. And her main lighting was a chandelier that lit and unlit when you said the words 'lumos' and 'nox'.

The room was fit for a princess.

To the wizarding world, she practically was a princess.

But to her, this was sanctuary.

It was home.

It was _safe_.

As they packed up everything in the room Tonks made a comment "Her majesty is finally leaving the castle huh?"

"Oh haha, very funny Nym, what does that make you, my Auror in dirty leather?" Tonks pushed Eri by the shoulder hard enough to make her fall onto the bed, causing Ophelia to run and hide, in which caused Eridanus to retaliate by throwing her pillow right at Tonks' face

"Alright girls that's enough, Dora how about you help me take these boxes downstairs hmm?" Ted interrupted the two, which did nothing as Eri threw a pillow at the back of Tonks' head as she walked out of the room

"Already fighting." Sirius laughed to Andromeda

"Like sisters" Andi laughed back as Tonks came right back up the stairs after helping her father to get back at Eri

" _Like sisters_ "

* * *

Scott Patterson as Ted Tonks

"Ted?"

"Yeah Eri?"

"Can you sign this, Andi refuses to"

"Yeah just don't tell her"

"Don't tell who what?"

"Nothing Dear! Hurry go get me a pen"


	15. twelve

**au revoir**

* * *

_August 4, 1995_

Goodbyes are hard, even when you do want to leave someone. Before she left with the Tonks family her goodbye to her brother was short, slightly emotional on Sirius' part, and sweet.

"And you have everything? Every pair of shoes, every book, Ophelia?"

"Yes, Sirius I have everything, even my familiar who you claim to hate" they both laughed a bit, enjoying the comfort for just a little bit longer.

Sirius tried to appreciate what Andromeda was doing, he knew nothing about girls, especially teenage ones, and would probably ruin her chances at ever being normal, but there was a part deep down in him that just didn't want his sister to leave, like everything would come crashing down the second she walked out the door.

He was a mess the first time she left Grimmauld with Madeye but Remus assured him the whole time that she would come home safe, now she was leaving, not coming back until her birthday and whenever she wants to visit.

"Okay one more hug, then you can run off and pelt Tonks with pillows" Eridanus hurried into his awaiting arms and sighed as they held her tightly as if she would float away in the blink of an eye. "I'm going to miss you kid, you know that? I might have to sneak out just to see you" Eri laughed into his chest and pulled away a bit, she took in everything about him but paid extra detail to his eyes. The bit of blue in the grey had come through since they first met,

"I'm gonna miss you too Siri" the man's eyes teared up a bit as they also memorized everything about the girl in front of him, her smile was much brighter and filled with much more happiness than when they first met.

"I will always want you Eri. Remember that." He whispered to her as he pulled her close on more time.

* * *

With everything moved into the Tonks home, which was a two-story, three-bedroom cottage on the outskirts of a tiny muggle village, it was time for Eridanus to move in too. (Along with the stubborn kneazle Ophelia) she was apparated just outside the property line by Andromeda after saying her goodbyes to her brother and portraits that she called family.

"Welcome home Eri," Ted's voice spoke, having apparating just behind them with Tonks. "It's not Grimmauld but-" Ted was shocked when the teen turned around and threw her arms around his neck, pulling him close and whispering 'thank yous' over and over

"It looks so," Eridanus couldn't find the words to use "it looks like freedom." She smiled, something that was slowly becoming a common occurrence since the Tonks family came into her life. She finally felt wanted.

Tonks walked up behind her and pulled her cousin into a hug before dragging her into the home, laughter could be heard from the outside where Ted and Andi stood, they both smiled fondly at each other before going inside to see what damage the two klutzes have done already.

"You're telling me you've never listened to The Weird Sisters?" Come one, I think I have one of their records still in my- _your_ room" the couple listened as their daughter dragged Eri upstairs, both smiling at the loud music coming from them.

"They'll be fine, Andi for the last time, I am completely okay with you taking her in. Stop looking at me like I'm going to change my mind!" Andromeda gave a light smile to her husband and wrapped herself up in his arms "you love her I love her."

The only time the girls came back downstairs was for dinner, which had no flying rolls, carrots, or green beans. Ted got to know Eridanus and they found a common ground quickly, muggle technology. She asked he answered. Every single question.

"So instead of using brooms, the floo, or apparition, they use big metal death traps?"

"Yes, they're not as dangerous as they seem though-"

Their discussions went on for hours before Andromeda sent Tonks back to her flat and Eri upstairs to bed.

* * *

August 5, 1995

Eridanus and Sirius exchanged letters continuously throughout the day. Though the siblings had a wonderful time when they lived together it really was better for the teen to be with the Tonks family. She had opened up more, hung out with Andromeda outside, Ted and her talked muggle literature. Her life had improved tenfold. She felt normal, they planned to go to the ministry two days after her birthday, so she could stay the night with Sirius after her birthday and then come home. 

Ted called the girls inside, a crash from the living room announced Tonks' arrival for dinner. Which was a common occurrence when there wasn't an Order meeting. 

"ERI!" The two young women crashed into each other, almost crashing into the dining room table "Did you listen to those records I got down from the attic? They're great right?" As they moved to the living room to talk about music, the adults worked on dinner together 

Together they made a salad and pasta, along with some garlic knots. When they all sat down Eri and Tonks both made a grab at the breadbasket, Ted quickly beat the girls to the basket and threw knots at each of their plates, and then moved the basket away from the table. 

"Let's not repeat what happened the other day" Andi laughed as both young women silently glared at Ted's back before he came back. 

"Yeah Eridanus" 

"Hey! you were involved too, you're not innocent either!" 

"Alright guys let's just eat" 

* * *

August 8, 1995

"Okay, Quidditch is easy to understand. Each goal is ten points, if you catch the Snitch, that's a hundred fifty points, the game ends when one of the Seekers catches the Snitch or the game has gone on too long and the captains decide its time to end it. The Keeper guards the goalposts, while the three chasers score goals with the Quaffle by tossing it into one of the opposing team's three goalposts. The two Beaters keep the Bludgers away from their team and hit the Bludgers towards the opposing team, and the Seeker would catch the Snitch to end the game. Which I already told you." Ted and Eri were standing in the back yard, Andi watched from the back door, already worried about Eridanus falling or the Bludger goes rouge.

"Okay, basically don't fall and don't get hit. Got it." Ted chuckled and nodded 

"Yeah basically, how good is your aim?" 

Their day was filled with throwing the Quaffle around and Andromeda almost calling it quits about five times. 

"You'd make a good anything Eri, but your best bet is either Seeker or one of the Chasers. You're small enough to get through the bigger players and could be lost from view." Ted got a look from his wife shut his mouth.

"That is if you want to play, Quidditch is a rough game Sweetheart, I wouldn't want to see you hurt because some idiot seventh year thought he could play dirty and knock you off your broom twenty feet in the air and ruin Quidditch for you forever-" Andi ran her fingers through Eri's sweaty hair and huffed 

"Dear, I think she'll be alright. That is if you want to play, that's all up to you. Besides, isn't Flitwick still the head of Ravenclaw, he wouldn't let her play if it wasn't safe." Ted reasoned with his wife 

"I think I want to play if it's okay with you guys" Andromeda smiled quickly and wrapped her arms around the teen 

"You are going to kick butt out there Love." 

Andromeda and Ted watched as Eridanus ran upstairs to her bedroom, smiling when her music was turned on and became light background noise 

Eri danced around, grabbing parchment and quills to write to Sirius, Ryder, and Hermione. Ginny had made no effort to write her back so she decided against writing the other girl. 

_Sirius,_

_How have you been? I'm well, Ted taught me how to play Quidditch, he said I would make a good Seeker or one of the Chasers. I don't think Andi is too thrilled that I want to play but she seems okay with it, for now, I don't know how she'll react if I make the team this year. Ted seemed to like having someone to talk about Quidditch with. Sorry, its a bit short, I'm writing a lot of letters before Andi calls me for dinner._

_Sending love,_

_Eri_

_Ryder!_

_I can't wait to see you on the thirteenth. I've been practicing Quidditch with Ted, maybe I can beat you on the pitch this year! I have a bunch of book recommendations for you too. Andi and Ted are great about my spoiling problems, how's Remus? How's Sirius, he's probably having a bunch of fun with Harry right? I'm just glad he's happy. Don't tell him I'm being nosy though, I'll have to chuck more than a roll at your head. How's Ginny? Is she alright? She hasn't been writing me back. Well, I better send these off before dark._

_I'll see you soon!_

_Eri_

_Hermione,_

_How are you, what's going on in the Order, tell me everything. How's Ryder been, he's as much of a big fat liar as Sirius is. Is Ginny annoyed with me? She hasn't been writing me back. Anyway, I want a letter back with all the information._

_Be my eyes on the inside!!!_

_Eridanus_

Eri rushed down the stairs and gave her letters to the owl who almost took off immediately but not before getting a treat from the teen. Andi and Ted were seated at the table when she came in, they talked about their days and Ted went on about Eri's skills with the Quaffle and how she was a natural at dodging the Bludger 

"And her hand just snapped out and caught it. Like a reflex!" Andi laughed at her husband's enthusiasm, he had never missed a single one of Nymphadora's games when she played for Hufflepuff. "She's a natural Seeker Andi, I'm telling you. I'd be shocked if she _didn't_ make the team, she could play any position she wants to!" 

"I'm sure she can Dear" Andromeda laughed

If you had just walked through the front door, you'd never guess that Eridanus wasn't the daughter of Andromeda and Ted Tonks. 

To a stranger, they were just a family. 


	16. thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "She was going to miss her friend"

_**happy birthday** _

* * *

_**** _

_August 13, 1995_

The Tonks family, plus Eridanus, arrived at Number 12 Grimmauld place at exactly 10:15 am as they were told by Sirius. Eri walked into the house, greeting the paintings and the handing elf heads. Sirius was pulling the curtains over their mother's screaming portrait as the rest of the family came in and gave a tired smile to them all. 

"Sirius, are you okay?" Andromeda's voice was a whisper as they both watched Eri rush up the stairs into her room to see Regulus and Alphard. 

"Yeah, Remus is forcing me to cut back on drinking for Eri." He sighed, Andi patted his shoulder and gave him an encouraging smile before chasing after the teen.

Upstairs Eridanus ' smile couldn't get bigger as she updated Regulus on everything that had happened since she last saw him. Andromeda smiled at how excited she sounded as she spoke about her first time playing Quidditch with Ted 

"I wish you could come to Hogwarts with me, maybe I can tear Mother's room apart for that photo of you in your Quidditch uniform, I remember seeing it in there a few years ago" If portraits could blush, Regulus' face would be beet red. 

"Eri, I think Sirius wants to see you in the kitchen, something about coffee?" Eri rushed out to the room, but not before giving a wave to her brother and uncle. Andromeda looked into Regulus's eyes and they both laughed a bit "She's everything like Sirius" Regulus nodded, still having a slight smile on his face "she wasn't lying about her skills in the pitch. She's great, perfect reflexes, I feel bad for the players that think they could win against her" 

"Take care of her Andi" 

"I will Reggie" 

* * *

"I heard the word coffee and came as soon as I could." 

"Hello Eri" 

Sirius pulled her into an embrace that was returned tightly, Remus walked into the kitchen and smiled at them before coughing and breaking them apart 

"Cute" 

"Shut it Moony" Eridanus laughed as she pulled away from her brother 

"Hey, Remmy" Remus smiled and waved at her from his spot near the door. 

"Happy birthday 'Danus" 

"Hey are the boys still asleep, I saw 'Mione's light on when I passed her room but Ron and the Twin's rooms are still off?" 

Remus and Sirius smirked at one another

"Why do you ask?" 

"No reason" she shrugged, a blush rising to her face a bit. "You know what, I'm just gonna go see if Ryder is awake, and get Hermione for breakfast, bye!" Eri rushed out of the room, completely forgetting about her coffee, and barged into Ryder's room. "Get up." 

"Huh" The teen opened his eyes and found his best friend looming over him, which was something rare considering his height. 

"Or at least scoot over, I need to talk" 

"Like you don't do that enough" Eri smacked him over the head with a pillow "kidding" 

She flopped down next to him and they both laid there, staring up at the ceiling 

"I think I want to be friends with Harry but I don't know if he likes me." Ryder opened his mouth but her small hand covered it "hush I'm talking." She removed her hand "I think he's nice and sweet, and he has a really pretty smile, the way his hair sticks up and his eyes are that beautiful emerald green color-" it was Ryder's turn to cover her mouth

"I don't do girl talk" 

"Please Ry! It's just he's so nice and attractive and- oh Merlin no! No no no no" She shot up from the bed and covered her mouth "I just said that. _That_ came out of _my_ mouth! I can't like boys; I'm not like Ginny, all she ever talks about is Harry and- oh no I'm like those annoying people who romanticize everything" 

Ryder looked at her concerned before opening his own mouth and putting his thoughts into the mix of rambling 

"Maybe you like him, it's okay to like someone. I happen to think this one girl has the most beautiful blue eyes, and her lips are always this perfect shade of pink, when she gets cold I just want to hold her close ya know?" Eri looked at him

"She sounds so pretty Ry, why don't you ask her out to dinner?" Ryder's shoulders slumped

"Because her brother would kill me." 

* * *

Ryder helped her wake the boys up, then teased her about how she can't even look Harry in the eyes which resulted in her going into Hermione's room and not coming out until she was needed 

"I want to hate him 'Mione but I can't, I just can't, his eyes are so perfect and he's so nice to me. He doesn't look at me like I'm going to combust at any moment!" Hermione smiled at her friend and laughed as she dramatically sighed and fell into the bed

"It sounds like you have feelings for Harry. The question is, do you like him for him, or for the fact that he's the boy who lived?" Eridanus gave her a rediculous look "It's a valid question" 

"For him obviously, I didn't make the connection that he is who he is until Ryder literally pointed it out to me" The other girl laughed, and laughed hard "Look I'm book smart okay! I've never had someone around to practice using basic logic around me" Hermione only laughed harder until she rolled off the bed, causing Eri to laugh too 

"Hello ladies, Mrs. Weasley wants you all down for breakfast please" Sirius knocked on the door, sounding rather formal, only making the girls laugh harder. "I guess I'll tell her you'll be down soon" Sirius backed away from the door slowly, a vague memory of a young Marlene Mckinnon and Lily Evans practically wheezing after he and James attempted to ask them out to Hogsmead in their third year coming to surface in his mind. 

* * *

Ten minutes later the girls were still giggling slightly as they walked into the kitchen and sat. Both of them almost bursting into laughter when Harry told them good morning

"What are they laughing about?" Ron whispered to Ryder 

"Don't ask if you don't wanna know" He whispered back, silencing Ron. 

Everyone ate and spoke, Harry attempted to talk books with Eri but failed miserably, Eri changed the subject to Quidditch, her new favorite thing. 

"Wait, you play?" Harry perked up a bit

"I just learned but Ted says I'm a natural, said I would make any team a good Chaser or Seeker" Harry smiled at her widely

"I'm a Seeker myself. What house are you in?" and so they found common ground. Hermione books, Ryder the muggle world, Harry Quidditch. 

* * *

"Alright, I know it's been a while since you've had a real birthday, but I hope you remember how to do this" Sirius joked, Eri rolled her eyes and nodded

"Of course I remember" Remus passed a long rectangular box to Sirius who gave it to the teen sitting on the floor, they had a wonderful day, filled with laughter and cake, Ryder even got the first three Star Wars movies and convinced Remus to transfigure a stack of books into a TV for him to play them on. Harry and Eri had made good friends, and Eri was finally able to look him in the eyes again. 

"C'mon Star open it!" Ryder seemed to be more excited about her birthday that the girl herself

Eridanus opened up the box and found one of the newest racing brooms that have come out, she looked over at Sirius with a suspicious look 

"I didn't go out and get it. I picked it out and made Remus go get it with my money" Her look softened as she moved onto the next one, which was a small book with a little bow on top of it 

"That ones from us," Ryder told her 

The book was old and worn but still a great present, she opened it up but it was quickly taken from her and replaced with another box, it had a messy signature that she could make out as the name Harry. In the box was a necklace with a little Snitch on it. 

"I'm glad you like Quidditch because this would have been really weird" He smiled at her, which she returned, then attempted to put the necklace on "Oh here" he took the necklace from her and she put her hair up so he could do the clasp. 

"It's amazing Harry, thank you" 

"Yeah I just figured, girls like jewelry, and Sirius had mentioned that you liked Quidditch a few days ago and-" 

"Harry. It's really amazing. I love it, thank you" 

The next one was a quill set from Hermione, and then there was a sweater from the Weasley's and finally, the Tonks' presents, which were Quidditch gloves, some jeans, graphic tee-shirts, and a Weird Sisters album. 

She thanks them all and gave out hugs, some awkward, others tight squeezes. 

"As soon as you put those gloves on they should mold to your hands perfectly" Ted informed her, Eri nodded and put all her gifts away into a pile to be taken home later. She only left two out. Her necklace sat around her neck and her book which she grasped onto for life when Sirius attempted to take it away again. 

* * *

"We're gonna head home, alright Sweetheart?" Andi and Ted pulled her into a hug before leaving. Tonks left next. She had a mission for the Order she was late for. Mrs. Weasley went to bed and then followed Mr. Weasley. Hermione called it a night around ten, and then Ron. The twins were doing something they weren't meant to in their room, and Ginny was in her room doing Merlin knows what

* * *

And then there were three

Remus and Sirius decided to go to bed not long after Ron did, usually, Harry would ask his godfather to stay up a few more minutes but he was too busy explaining gravity to Eridanus, and how brooms and magic defy it 

"So we're all just going around the Sun over and over, and then the moon goes around us over and over, somehow waves control that, and we all stay on the ground?" Harry nodded, pushing down laughter at her summary "Basically you're telling me the planets are being controlled by one big wave of magic and muggles have no idea?" 

"Yup, they think that they discovered it." Eri barked out a loud laugh 

"I love their inventions but muggles are _idiots_ " 

Ryder sat there and watched the two, trying not to glare at them, Eri was his friend, his best friend, making fun of muggles was their thing, talking about muggles was their thing. Harry can't just walk along and swoop her up. 

"Hey Star, want to finish watching _Return of the Jedi_?" Eri looked up for a moment and thought about it before nodding 

"Have you seen _Return of the Jedi_ Harry?" Harry shook his head and Eri pulled him up onto the couch with her and nodded to Ryder to hit play "You're gonna love it" They smiled at each other, the smile Ryder wanted to share with her. Maybe they were right, maybe Hufflepuffs can't be brave. "Ry c'mere, there's enough room on this thing for all of us" Eridanus pulled him onto the couch with Harry and her and threw a blanket over all three of them. Soon the Star Wars theme began to play and all three of them were entrapped into the world beyond theirs 

* * *

The next morning it was harder to get Ryder up so Eri just left the big oaf to sleep, next she tried Hermione but she threw a pillow at Eri and attempted to make Crookshanks attack her to no avail, next was Harry. 

"Hey, Sirius is downstairs in the kitchen, meet us down there when you're up and dressed," She told him as she pulled his covers back. Eridanus had slowly become a morning person as she lived longer with Andi and Ted, getting used to Hogwarts time came easy to her and that's what the family ran on. 

Harry groaned but got up, not fully realizing that Eri had just walked into his room and pulled his covers back. He dressed and walked sluggishly down the stairs and into the kitchen, they were alone, all three of them. Usually, he had seen Ryder at Eri's side but this morning he was still asleep. 

"Morning Prongslet" 

"Hey Harry" 

"Morning Sirius, hi Eri" 

Eridanus took a sip from her mug and kicked the chair from across her out from beneath the table, Harry gave her an odd look 

"Have a seat" She nodded to the chair, Kreacher came out from his hiding spot and saw his beloved mistress 

"Mistress Eridanus! Kreacher is so excited to be serving you once again, Kreacher can begin breakfast if the young miss wants?" Kreacher bowed respectfully to the girl who patted his head affectionately 

"Pancakes would be lovely Kreach, thank you" She smiled, the house-elf began to work, making enough food to power an army. He served everyone sitting at the table and then set a preservation charm on the rest of the food. 

Sirius smiled as he saw how lovingly the elf took care of Eri, in a similar fashion to how he treated his mother and Regulus. Harry scarfed down the food he was given quickly, causing the elf to come over and offer more. 

"Would the blood traitor like more?" The elf asked all too polite, Eri almost didn't catch the rude name but quickly tossed a berry at Kreacher's head. 

"That is all Kreacher thank you." 

Kreacher bowed before popping out of the room, probably to go snoop around in the Weasley's rooms for a bit. 

"Stupid old elf. If he didn't mean so much to you he would be dead." Sirius grumbled, a berry, intended to be thrown at his forehead was caught and quickly popped into his mouth. 

"He is a good elf, an old one yes, but nonetheless loving if you get to know him." Eri smiled at Harry, who seemed to like the way she treated Kreacher, not beating him or kicking him. He noted that she could have thrown a spoon at his head but instead tossed a harmless berry instead. "And trust me, I know him." She laughed

They all sat around smiling and talking until Mrs. Weasley came in, amazed at how un-burnt everything seemed as she assumed that Sirius made it. 

"Oh no, Kreacher made all of this. He's a good elf, if you treat him well he will serve you well." Mrs. Weasley seemed shocked at how kindly she spoke of the seemingly rude elf. "If you have not noticed, Kreacher only likes me. He raised me. I treat him well because I love him. Maybe if you tried, oh I don't know, to not order him around like you own him. He would clean and cook, and be a good elf to you." 

"But I asked him to help with the doxies and things hidden in closets and-" 

"I will ask him to help you out with those things before I leave today. But yes. He is a good obedient elf who I love dearly. This goes for you too Sirius. Be kind to him and don't you dare try to free him." Molly nodded before going to make herself a plate of the food. Sirius groaned a bit but nodded. Harry knew the 'don't free my elf' part was directed at him and Hermione so he gave a salute for the both of them. 

Everyone learned a long time ago, when her first outburst towards Mrs. Weasley happened, not to mess with Eri. She was a force to be reckoned with and a princess that would have your head if something wasn't her way. Hermione learned the hard way that she shouldn't try to debate anything with the Ravenclaw, who would pull facts seemingly out of nowhere from the deep crevices of her mind. 

Soon everyone was up and in the kitchen, ready to start their days. Ginny watched Harry from afar and Hermione and Ryder debated, while everyone else ate. 

"Hey Ry, maybe after I see the Ministry tomorrow you can come over and we can mess around with the Quaffle for a bit?" Ryder looked over to Remus who shrugged and nodded to his best friend. 

"Yeah sure, I'll bring my broom" She smiled and tossed a berry over to him, which he caught in his mouth 

"Nice catch" 

"Nice throw" 

Soon everyone went off to do their own thing, and Eri was on a mission to find her elf. She searched up and down but eventually gave up and called on him. He appeared with a pop and she sat down on the floor of her bedroom. 

"Hello Kreacher, today is the fourteenth of August" She reminded him, he smiled fondly at her before pulling her hand into his small leathery ones. 

"How old are you this year Miss Eridanus" 

"Fifteen, I will be leaving for Hogwarts on the first of September, I want you to know that I won't be home until Christmas, I want you to take care of Sirius, even when he's being a big git. Make sure that he writes me back." She sighed and gave the house-elf a hug, something rare to be shared between a master and elf but something not so uncommon for the teen and her friend. "And please be good for Mrs. Weasley, if she asks you to clean, remove doxies, anything. You do that okay? They're guests, treat them as such." Kreacher nodded and kissed Eridanus' hand before waiting to be dismissed 

"Miss, if Kreacher may?" She nodded "Your mother would be proud of you Miss" 

"Thank you, Kreacher" 

"There is no need for Miss to thank old Kreacher" 

She nodded and sent him on his way. 

She was going to miss her friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Awe, Eri, and Kreacher moments can be the best and the worst!!! But they're so cute
> 
> Comment and Kudos if you want - elle


	17. fourteen

**_the devil wears pink_**

* * *

**__ **

_August 15, 1995_

Eridanus woke up early to the sound of Andi's cursing and then Ted's screams about a fire. She rushed downstairs to see Andromeda patting out a fire on a pan and Ted panickingly throwing the aguamenti spell at Andi and the pan. That was the highlight of her morning. 

"TED!" 

"SORRY! SORRY!" 

"Oh my Merlin" Eyes turned to Eri, Andromeda's drenched hair dripped on the floor as she walked towards her cousin "That was hilarious" Eridanus began laughing hard, Ted joined her, and soon everyone was laughing

"Alright breakfast is a no, that doesn't mean we can't find something to eat around here that 'Dromeda can't burn" 

"I'm going to go change" Andi glared at the two snickering brunets as she passed them light-heartedly. 

Ted and Eri sat at the table discussing what Eri had read in her new favorite book, _Quidditch Through The Ages._ Remus and Ryder had gifted her the book on her birthday and she had taken to it very quickly, Andi came back to the kitchen with dried hair and new clothes on, she quickly got Eri together and up to her room to get dressed before their appointment with the Ministry Official in thirty minutes. 

Eridanus dressed casually and muggle, opting for one of her band shirts and a pair of Tonk's old ripped jeans, deciding it was time to wear pants now that she was fifteen. She laced up her boots (also outgrown by Tonks) and hurried down the stairs, noticing Andi by the fireplace picking at her nails.

"Finally! You know how to floo right?" Eri nodded and took a pinch of floo powder into her hand "Alright, I'll go first and stay by the floo and wait for you. Remember to speak clearly Eri" She nodded again and watched as Andi flooed to the Ministry of Magic 

"Okay, you can do this, just don't pull a Harry and you'll be fine" She muttered to herself, trying to lighten her own mood from the story Harry told her about his first time flooing to Diagon Alley "MINISTRY OF MAGIC" 

The young witch fell out of the floo with a thump, her klutzy nature present within her nervousness, two hands reached out to grasp her, she looked up into the eyes of her cousin Andromeda and jumped into her grasp 

"That was scary" 

"You said you've flooed before!" 

"I may have lied" 

* * *

"Woah" 

"Yeah" 

"Ted made it sound smaller" 

* * *

Their appointment went well, Eridanus was allowed to go to school under her name and be Andromeda and Ted's ward, now the task was to find the way out of the Ministry. 

They had told the worker that Eri was Regulus's daughter who was left in a muggle orphanage, who Andromeda tracked down and took in. The worker just nodded and cast a spell, had them sign some papers and they were in and out within fifteen minutes. 

Now they were trying to find their way back to the floo's. 

"We're hopeless" Eri mumbled, earning a smack on the arm from Andi 

"We're not! Excuse me? Ma'am? Could you point us in the direction of the floo's?" Andromeda caught the attention of a short woman, only a few inches shorter than Eri, who stood at five-three, clad in all different shades of pink, and had a toad-like face. 

"Right that way" She giggled, flashing a fake smile as she pointed in the direction of the floo's, Andi smiled politely while Eri cringed slightly, not even attempting to be polite to the woman and her creepy smile and giggles. 

"Thank you, Miss?" 

"Umbridge. Dolores Jane Umbridge" 

"Andromeda Tonks, that is my cousin Eridnaus Black, thank you, Miss Umbridge" The woman eyed Eri up and down, causing the teen's instincts to tell her to run away. Her judgmental eyes were a stark contrast to her girl-like attitude and smile. 

"Andi, Ted's waiting on us to be home by lunch we better get going" Eri's eyes begged to leave, the same eyes Sirius used to use on his father when they were in a social gathering. 

"Oh yes, right, it was lovely meeting you Miss Umbridge but we must go now" Andi dragged Eri off quickly and checked her over for curses, hexes, and jinxes "Are you alright Eri?" 

"Something was off about her like she knew we lied to that man" Andi nodded and decided that they should floo home together. The pair held one another close as the fire engulfed them. 

* * *

Ted listened intently as Andi recounted the day, Eri opted to sit silently as she thought about the woman in pink. 

"And then we ran into Dolores Umbridge, Eri had the oddest feeling about her, said the seemed like she knew we lied to the man at the wards office." He nodded as Eri thought more, maybe she was a legilimens? That couldn't be it, Andi would have noticed. The Ravenclaw thought through all of the possibilities, even the most outrageous one but none seemed to fit. 

"Eri? Eri!" 

"What?" 

"Ted's been calling for you for the last three minutes, are you alright?" Andi put her hand on Eri's shoulder and squeezed, both adults seemed concerned with the way she was acting 

"Oh yeah, I'm fine, just thinking. Always thinking" Eri gave them both a smile and nodded "What were you asking?" She looked at Ted 

"I was wondering what time Ryder would be here tomorrow? So I can put safety wards around for you two" 

"Probably after lunch, that's when we usually hang out if I'm not dragging his butt out of bed" Ted nodded and passed her a sandwich. They sat in silence as time passed. Ted eventually went to work on something for work, Andi had to visit a patient at their home, and Eri sat in her room on one of the bean bags and just wondered how that woman knew. 

The only thing she would be sure of after this though, was that _the devil wears pink._


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "would you be willing to wear a clover crown?" 
> 
> "i would be very willing to wear a clover crown"

_**there you are star** _

* * *

__

_August 15, 1995_

"Oh hello, Ryder" Ryder Lupin came through the Tonks family's floo at twelve forty-five p.m. and immediately looked around for Eridanus Black. 

"Hello Ted, how are you?" He attempted small talk with the adult are failed miserably by his reaction, he nodded towards the back door which Ryder made a break for quickly. "Thanks!" 

But Eridanus was nowhere to be seen, she wasn't on the porch, in the swing, there was no ladder to get up into the treehouse anymore, so the werewolf took matters into his own hands, walking around to the property edges and into a meadow, not far from the cottage. He found her. 

To him she looked perfect, her lips pouted and her eyes dreamy as she laid on the ground, in a dress borrowed from her mother's closet that was brought to the Tonks' with her. She looked sad while the blades of grass swayed with the breeze, her mind was elsewhere, as she just laid and watched. He watched her for a moment, wishing to remember the way she looked forever, the dress was creme and her hair was plaited with a clover crown sat on top and a ribbon to keep it tied at the end. She looked heavenly, he would remember this as the moment he would forever think she was perfect. 

"There you are Star," Eri looked up at her friend, his mouth wide with a smile as he sat down with her, "What are you doing out here?" Eridanus stayed silent but moved her head to his lap and looked up at him from there "Eri?" 

"I'm thinking" She paused and grabbed his hand, interlocking their fingers, her other hand went to the Golden Snitch that sat on the outside of her dress "Have you ever heard of a Dolores Umbridge?" Ryder nodded and frowned 

"Yeah, she's very anti-anything impure. Why?" She looked away from his face and traced all of the freckles along his arms, making patterns and words as she thought "Eri" 

"Oh, we asked her for directions around the Ministry today, she gave me a bad feeling" Ryder brushed a stray piece of hair from her face "I don't know how to explain it, I just felt cold and uncomfortable" Ryder's hand moved to her arm, he traced along her skin, all of the tiny little scars from when she was younger and still lived in Grimmauld Place. 

"She's not a kind person from what I hear, Remus said she was very vocal about her dislike for anything not pure when they were in school" Eri nodded and looked up at the sky again, 

"What do you want to do now Ry? I don't know if I want to play Quidditch right now" He shrugged and watched her as she watched the clouds. He was entrapped with her, the blue of the sky could never compare to her eyes, they often changed shades on how she felt, sometimes they were sapphire blue, then the same shade of blue topaz, but today they were a new shade, sky blue, matching the one she looked at. 

"We could go get a blanket and some books and just stay and read. Right here, I like the flowers, makes it our little place" He laughed, she cracked a smile and reached out next to them. She picked a clover

"Would you be willing to wear a clover crown?" 

"I would be very willing to wear a clover crown" 

"But then I wouldn't be able to go get the blanket and books"

"Then we'll stay here, just as we are." 

She nodded and he smiled, her head stayed laid in his lap until Ryder's mobile phone rang, he had shown it to her when they first met and let her mess around with it before

"Go ahead answer it" She removed her head from his lap and let him stand

"It's just Remus, I'll only be a moment" He promised her, she waved him off and immersed herself in her own thought again while braiding the tiny flowers together for Ryder. "Just told me to be home by six, c'mere I was comfy" He was right about only a moment, Ryder noticed Eri's skin becoming a light pink color, not in a blush, but in a burn. "On second thoughts lets go sit in the shade over there" 

"Okay, hold on" She pulled him down to a crouch and sat the crown on his head softly. 

"Thank you, love" He dragged his friend over by the shaded tree "It's beautiful" Eri nodded and leaned against him, her body sagging a bit as she closed her eyes for a moment. 

"Wanna go inside? I feel hot" Ryder already knew that, her body was warm to the touch, more warm than usual. They both stood and walked back towards the cottage, they got back fairly quickly, Ted spotting them and all their flower-crowned glory

"Hey guys, its cooler inside if you want to hang in there" Ryder steered a tired Eridanus towards the door and mouthed 'sunburnt' to the older wizard who mouthed back 'oh' 

Eri sighed in content as the houses cold air hit her skin, Ted looked her over as e had walked in behind the teens 

"Kiddo, you want me to do something about that burn?" He asked her, wand drawn. Eri looked at him confused but then felt it when Ryder laid his hand on her arm 

"Ouch! Don't do that" She glared at him, Ted did the simple spell and her body's pink tone left and her pale skin was back to normal, all feelings of physical pain went away too. "Okay let's go upstairs" 

"Door open please!" 

"What are you talking about?" Eri called from the top of the stairs 

" _Nothing_ , never mind!" 

Ryder suppressed a laugh before entering her room, her usual pillows were all around, two bean bags sat in one of the corners, a vanity, small closet, chest of drawers, and a full-sized, four-poster bed sat at the middle of the wall, a window pointing at the back yard behind it. The one thing that didn't seem like Eri to have in her room was a Weird Sisters poster on the wall with the drawers. The thing that seemed most Eri about the room was the bookshelf on one side of the room and then the books still stacked in boxes in another. 

"Oh that was from when Nym had this room," She noticed him starring at the poster. Eri plopped down on the bed next to her Kneazle and pulled out _Quidditch Through The Ages_ and read, Ryder found a home in the bean bag chair closest to her bed and snagged her copy of _Macbeth._

The teens were still reading when Andi came in to check on them after work. 

"Hey guys, did Remus say what time you should be back?" She approached the room and knocked on the wood a bit smiling as both of them had light glares thrown at her for removing them from their little worlds 

"Yeah, Remus called earlier and told me to be home by six." She nodded and took in Eridanus' appearance 

"Didn't you two play Quidditch?" She shook her head and pointed at the discarded bands of braided clover flowers sitting on her dresser "Ah, well there's food downstairs if either of you is hungry" They both nodded and Andromeda left. 

Eridanus moved to sit next to Ryder in the second bean bag, she handed him her research journal that she was using for Remus 

"I want you to read it, be my second opinion." He looked at her shocked, Eri had hexed George when he tried to read the journal thinking it was her diary, she had even thrown empty threats at Sirius when he tried to even hold it.

This was her way of saying those three words 

And he had no idea

* * *

They went downstairs and shoved and joked with one another, getting back into their usual grove of playfulness. Umbridge had really messed with Eridanus' thoughts and attitude but now that Ryder was there her smile was true and her laughs weren't forced.

It's amazing what just being around one person can do to your mood. 

* * *

"Hey I should head home before Remus sends the whole Order for me, I'll see you soon okay?" Ryder had realized the time as they sat in an old English oak, the sun was low in the sky but not setting. Ophelia had come out with her owner and her werewolf counterpart and sat on a branch above the two, watching the boy with weary eyes

"Oh, alright. You better write to me though" She stuck her pinky out, something she learned from Hermione when they first met. He stuck his pinky out too, interlocking it with his best friends and pulling her into a hug

"I'll always write to you Star, you're my-" He stopped himself, paused, hesitated, whatever you want to call it "Best friend." She nodded against his chest and pulled away

"Tell Sirius hello for me, and throw a roll at him for me too" 

"I always do" 

"Bye Ry" 

"See ya Eri" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love her, and you'll understand why I added in the very strong shift in her mood soon, Eri, Ryder, and Sirius all have Spotify Playlists if you want to check them out, my Spotify is noelle 


	19. sixteen

_**i thought you gave up** _

* * *

__

_August 16, 1995_

She fell asleep without eating that night, Andi and Ted walked by her room and saw her sound asleep at six-thirty p.m, they didn't second guess it, it was a busy day. 

They didn't know something though, the pain she felt as she was asleep, something that would cause her to fear even closing her eyes. 

_It was dark, the only light coming from the end of her wand. Ryder was at the edge of a cliff, she felt like she was floating, watching over him. Suddenly he jumped into the water below, not caring about the freezing temperature or the thin layer of ice on the top._

_She screamed but no sound could be heard, almost like an impulse, she dove in after him. He gave no fight as he sank lower into the water, his clothes weighing him down._

_Air came out of his mouth and nose as he breathed out._

_She swam closer._

_No more air came out._

_The next thing she knew she was pulling him up out of the water and onto the sandbank nearby, but he wasn't breathing._

_He wouldn't breathe._

_He gave up._

_She felt hands around her waist as she silently screamed for her best friend to wake up, to take a breath of air._

**And then she woke up**

"Eri! Eridanus you're okay!" a voice called out to her, the hands were warm, a stark contrast to the icy water she had just dove into 

"Andi she's awake" Ted. Ted was talking now 

Andromeda had been the one holding her, Ted had his wand in hand, they both looked confused and worried as they searched her face for emotion

"Ryder?" Eridanus' voice was hoarse like she had been screaming. Had she been screaming?

"No baby, Ryder went home hours ago." Andi ran a hand through the undid plait 

"He was drowning, he _died,_ I couldn't help him. I lost him too" Ted sat his wand on the vanity and sat on the bed with Eridanus and Andi. He beckoned the Kneazle hiding in the doorway forward

"Ryder is very much alive Eri, trust me, I'd floo over and get him for you but its nearly four in the morning" Ted assured her as Ophelia curled up against her person, the purr was loud 

"He jumped in. He _willingly_ jumped in." 

Ted and Andromeda looked at one another concerned before turning back to the teen spiraling into a panic attack, clutching her heart and then her hands quickly moving to her throat, scratching at something that wasn't there, her breathing was heavy and cold sweat appeared across her skin 

"I can't feel anything, I can't feel anything, why can't I feel anything?" Andromeda moved to sit next to her on the bed, shooing Ted away from them. 

"Eri, let's count to ten okay? Let's count to ten" She took the teen's hand from her throat and started counting her fingers, then moved to the other hand, at first it was only Andi counting, but Eridanus slowly began counting along, her voice still tired from the screaming. "What do you need Sweetie?" 

"Can we just keep counting?" 

Eri's tear-stained face followed Andromeda's finger moving along hers, counting the digits on her hands over and over until Eri had calmed down a bit. She hadn't felt this kind of fear ever. Not even when her mother passed. 

"Hey, Remus is here if you want to see him, we must not have heard the floo go off" Ted stuck his head in the door, seeing Eridanus and Andi stop counting, Eri moved to stand up but immediately sat back down on the bed 

"Dizzy" She mumbled before standing again, her legs a bit more supportive of the notion, and moved to go downstairs 

Remus was there, dressed and visibly scared, the second he saw the teen he pulled her into an embrace 

"Are you okay? Godric, you scared me" The adult noticed the confusion painted on Eri's face and wanted to smack himself "My wolf recognizes Sirius as pack, so he recognizes you as pack too. I get a vague idea of how you all feel, but that was strong." 

"Wait what-" 

"I'll explain it better the next time I see you, but I had to make sure you're okay."

"Okay," She nodded, leaning into his embrace, she and Remus had become close through letters for her research, he told her stories about Sirius and James when they were in school, and she opened up to him about her mother and how she grew up. 

"I should get home, Sirius was worried when I shot up out of bed and just left" They laughed and she nodded again, letting him go. They said one final goodbye and Remus left. 

"You need to get back to bed. I have some dreamless sleep if you want-" 

"Yes please" She responded to Andi 

After taking the potion she felt okay to go back to sleep, confident even. Ophelia curled up with her person and fell asleep just as Eridanus did. 

A few hours after she was woken up by the sound of laughter and the smell of bacon

As she rushed down the stairs for food she recognized a specific, bark-like laugh. 

"Siri?" 

"Hey Eri"

"Siri!" 

Eridanus ran into her brother's arms and pulled him close, her face hidden in his neck, his face hidden in her messy bed head

"You're here" 

"I'm here, the floo at Grimmauld only goes a few places with the Fidelius and one of them is here, a highly warded house in the middle of a forest" 

"Dumbledore won't be happy about this." 

"That he won't" 

They both laughed, Sirius took in his sisters appearance, her body filled out even more with the constant playing of Quidditch around the property, her skin had darkened a bit to a much more natural shade of pale, and she was (in his biased opinion as an older brother and something he will never say aloud to her) prettier than a veela, also something that could secretly run through their blood, all Black's were unnaturally beautiful. 

"Ryder!" She noticed the teenage boy stuffing his face with bacon, immediately relecing her brother and tackling the boy out of his chair "You're alright" 

"Hello Eridanus," He said sarcastically 

"Toe-Rag! I thought you were dead last night" She only held him closer as she insulted him, something she learned to think was a sign of affection, with Sirius' little jabs at Remus before pulling him close. 

"Well I think I'm alive, I won't be if you hold me any closer though" 

She only held him closer 

"I thought you gave up" 


	20. seventeen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Two sickles says Remus told them not to bring up my secret talent,"
> 
> "You're on little sis"

_**secret talent** _

* * *

_August 31, 1995_

The Black siblings were right, Dumbledore wasn't pleased to find out about Sirius' outing. He had been on house arrest by the Order every day since the sixteenth. Dumbledore was curious about Eridanus' dream though, seeing as the Black family had a long line of very strong magic behind them. Metamorphmagai, seers, and the occasional veela affair. The family was very powerful, politically, and magically.

The headmaster had asked her to write down everything she could remember from her vivid dreams, thinking of them as possible visions, much to Sirius' displeasure.

The Order decided that all the teens should stay at Grimmauld the night before September the first, leading Eridanus to pack every book she could into her trunk, even after it was filled to the brim with clothes and journals.

"Hey you almost ready to- oh Merlin" Ted had walked in just was Eridanus' accidental magic, caused by her annoyance at the trunk, made everything in the trunk fly out and around the room. Becoming annoyed with herself at not controlling her magic, the books that were still on the shelf almost hit Ted, if it hadn't been for his quick wand movements

"Oh my Merlin, Ted, I'm so sorry!" The books immediately went back to their places and Ted helped her by spelling an extension charm into her trunk for the extra books.

A specific leather-bound book with a ribbon sticking out of the bottom of it fell from the shelf again and at Ted's feet, he picked it up and noticed Eridanus' full name was inscribed on the front of the book

_Eridanus Irma Black I_

"Could you hand me that please?" She stuck her hand out for the journal but didn't find one in her hand "Ted?" He jumped a bit, having been caught opening it to the first page "Could I have my journal back?"

"Oh yeah, sorry kid" He gave it back to her, having only gotten a quick glimpse into her world, the journal wasn't one that Dumbledore gave her, not filled with words but music. "You didn't mention that you wrote music"

"Oh, yeah. I have since I was four. Mum started me younger than she started my brothers due to her short lifespan" Ted nodded at Eri's morbid comment, not wanting to push her. "All children of the sacred twenty-eight are expected to play an instrument or sing. I was taught both, I'm sure Andi could tell you about it if you want to know more" Ted nodded again, soaking in the information.

Andi came in a few minutes later to find both of them placing books that weren't hit by Ted's spell back into their places. She ushered them out and into the floo quickly, Ted took the trunk and Eri went on her own.

Eri came through the floo and straight into her brothers awaiting embrace

"I've missed you kid"

"I'm a very easy person to miss."

-

"FILTHY MUDBLOOD IN _MY_ HOUSE! HOW DARE YOU ALLOW THESE DIRTY BEASTS INTO MY HOME YOU DISGUSTING BLOOD TRAITOR" Once Ted had come through the entrance hall to go into the kitchen the screaming started. And nobody could stop it.

"That bitch of a mother-"

"Shut up Sirius." Eridanus snapped at him. Tired of the yelling and his comments about their mother she walked out and in front of the portrait and whispered something to the screaming woman that quieted her.

"Would you quiet down until I come back for Christmas if I play for you?"

"The one about the poet?"

She nodded and went to her trunk, still in the drawing-room, and pulled out the journal Ted almost read. The room was empty except for her, and the family portion, minus Sirius.

The piano was dusty but playable. The teen sighed and hesitated before letting her fingers lightly rest on the ivory keys.

-

_"Again Eridanus."_

_The harsh voice of Walburga Black ordered, the little girl had messed up the ending, pressing one wrong key, and she would do it over and over until it was engraved in her brain._

_"There will come a soldier..."_

-

"...Who carries a mighty sword"

Remus and Ryder were the first people to hear the soft music and singing coming from the drawing-room, their heads snapping to the door. Ted seemed to perk up, then slowly everyone heard the voice and the music that accompanied it.

"Is that?" Sirius cut himself off, pushing his chair away from the table, and rushed into the drawing-room. "It is." He answered himself, frowning at the tears of fear forming in his sister's eyes as she played. He was mesmerized by the song, the melody was something his father used to hum when he was happy, a rare thing, but a small memory that stuck with the man.

"And there will come a poet whose weapon is his word"

"He will slay you with his tongue"

" _Oh ley oh lie oh ley oh lord_ "

Sirius found himself sitting with her, his hands moving unconsciously in his lap along with the song, his knee bumped against his sisters to let her know that she wasn't alone anymore, that she wasn't going to be forced to stay in that spot for hours, playing over and over until blisters formed on her fingers by their mother.

They stayed there, all eyes on them, but the two paid everyone else no mind, Eri didn't let any of her tears fall as the song finished out.

She realized where she was, that she wasn't with her mother, that she wasn't being yelled at until the song was perfectly played, a faint smile came to her face, but fell as she felt people watching her.

Ryder was enchanted with her voice, why hadn't she told him about this?

Eridanus wanted the floor to swallow her whole, this is why she kept things to herself.

Hermione, Harry, and Ryder all moved toward the piano to talk with Eri but as they got closer they realized Eridanus' accidental magic was responding to her emotions, putting up an invisible barrier between herself and her friends.

"Alright. Everyone back to the kitchen, leave Eri alone for a bit." Remus ordered, shooing everyone away. Sirius made a move to follow his werewolf but Eri's hand shot out and grabbed his, gripping tight and not letting go.

"Don't leave, please" Her eyes were filled with fear " _not you too_ " Sirius sat back down and embraced the silence as Remus walked out and passed their mother's portrait.

"Eri, you can talk to me. You know that" Her head leaned against his arm and she closed her eyes for a moment, nodding, before opening them again. "What's wrong Love?"

"Mum loved that song."

"Dad did too"

She looked up at her brother and then back at the piano keys. The barrier slowly fell as she calmed

"What was it like before I was born?" Sirius sighed deeply before responding

"Our mother was...not the easiest woman to get along with. Father loved her unconditionally, and they both loved Reggie and me in very different ways. Father always hid away in his office and Mother was always ordering someone around, she loved to do that, Reggie was the perfect son, Slytherin, took the mark, and saw himself above muggle-borns. Mother and I butted heads about those things, I never wanted to be a Slytherin, hated what the mark stood for, and I was best friends with a muggle-born, and a half-blooded werewolf." He wrapped an arm around the girl and held her close "I left on Christmas Eve of my fifth year I think it was, Regulus took the mark about a year later I think, Father fell ill just before you were conceived, and then it was just you and old Walburga I assume,"

Eridanus sighed and nodded, "Kreacher always told me that Reggie forbade him from telling anyone what really happened before his death, I think he turned on Voldemort," She thought aloud, Sirius had a sad smile on his face as he got up from the bench and pulled the teen along with him.

"C'mon, you're probably starving"

"Two sickles says Remus told them not to bring up my **_secret talent_** ,"

"You're on little sis"


	21. eighteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "alright"

"alright"

* * *

_august 31, 1995_

* * *

Eri and Harry were heard laughing after the incident, Remus was glad Eridanus was getting to know him. Sirius was glad Harry was finding someone else to talk to, seeing as he had recently been snapping at his friends due to them not telling him anything all summer. Ron and Ryder weren't as happy as everyone else was about the pair.

"So you can talk to snakes? That's so cool!" Her giggles were contagious, causing Harry to laugh too, before running his hands through his hair

"I'm glad you think so, people tell me it's a bad thing all the time" Eri's face contorted into a frown, and shook her head

"Well, those people are idiots, imagine all the things a snake has to say about people, I bet they know so much" Her hand moved to the Snitch laying against her chest, something she did when she was thinking. "I would give anything to talk to a snake" She sighed, flopping back onto the sitting room rug.

"They'd probably think you're too sweet to be able to do something so dark" Harry laughed, causing Eridanus to sit up quickly and look at him as if he were an idiot

"You do realize I come from a bloodline that specializes in the dark arts and has been in Slytherin for centuries. Right?"

"Oh, yeah"

"There is a reason you weren't in Ravenclaw."

"HEY!"

* * *

The peace didn't last long, as Eri and Ryder found their way back to one another, and soon they were using old broomsticks found around the house as lightsabers, the twins helped them out, using their new age to an advantage, and transfigured them into (non-harming) realistic lightsabers. Much to Molly's disapproval.

Currently, they were fighting on the stairs, something that should never be done, especially by a very clumsy young witch.

Eri's bright blue lightsaber was currently pinning Ryder to the banister, having the upper hand, just before Ryder brought his red one up and knocked her away, both of them having the same idea of her using the other railing as a safety measure, but both teens ideas not working as well as planned

_Note to self, never have an all-out Jedi battle on stairs with a werewolf who doesn't know their own strength._

"Eri!"

"AH!"

"SPONGIFY"

"ARRESTO MOMENTUM"

The world felt like slow motion, for a moment it was. The floor in Grimmauld Place became a spongy material, and Eridanus' body slowed as she made her way toward the floor, when her body hit the ground, her lightsaber rolled out of her hand, Sirius rushed towards her, moving her head around to see if she was bleeding. Remus moved quickly to the teen and used his wand to check her pupils

"Eridanus, are you alright, can you hear us?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, just, sore."

Remus and Sirius both sighed in relief, quickly canceling the charm on the ground.

"No more lightsabers and stairs please" Remus chuckled, before looking pointedly at Ryder, Eridanus attempted to move from Sirius' grasp but was only held closer

"No just, no." She sighed and went limp in his grasp, wanting to get back to winning. "Just, no more stairs. Please."

"Got it, no more stairs."

"And please be more careful."

"I'll try"

"You will."

"I'll try."

"Eri."

"Bubs?"

"Go, no more falling off stairs, but just go."

* * *

There were no more Jedi duels that night, Eridanus fell asleep in the sitting room while she was reading Regulus' old potions book from his fifth year. She was jumping into classes during O.W.L. year, something no one wants to do, and needed to cram as much as she could before even getting to Hogwarts.

Sirius found her sleeping sitting up, her book open on her lap, and her shoes still on.

"Merlin, you're worse than Regulus was about that book Kid" He chuckled as he lifted her up "You're too old for this, but I'm a nice big brother" He muttered as he climbed the stairs to her bedroom. "Very nice, I'll even tuck you in and put a bookmark in your textbook." Sirius stopped talking to himself as he finished what he was doing.

He met Remus halfway to their shared room and told him about what he just did, both of them getting ready for bed. They had a busy day the next day, Sirius and Remus cuddled up together and fell asleep.

* * *

_September 1, 1995_

Eridanus vividly remembered being on the couch last night reading before she fell asleep, guessing she was just too tired to remember going up the stairs and to bed she got up and started her day. She got dressed, washed her face, and side braided her hair. Walking downstairs she was met with Harry and Ryder in the sitting room with Sirius and Remus eating. She just sat with them and snagged bites from Remus and Ryder, not wanting to have an argument over food with Sirius or get a weird look from Harry. The two werewolves didn't care much, willingly sharing with her until Kreacher came in with a plate for his Miss.

She thanked him and didn't speak until her plate was empty and she was full. When she opened her mouth no one was ready for what she would say.

"I think I'm scared of leaving." Eridanus knew she could trust everyone in the room with her fears and concerns.

"If you don't want to go you don't have to-" Sirius assured her

"No, I want to go. I'm just nervous." She nodded to herself, before leaving to get her trunk to bring it downstairs.

Remus spoke up after the boys followed Eri out fo the room. Hoping to say something comforting for Sirius about the two teens he loved so dearly. "They have each other Sirius. They're not alone anymore. They never will be. Eri will make friends, maybe not in Ravenclaw but I'm sure the Hufflepuffs with welcome her with open arms. Harry won't let anything bad happen to her, you see the way they look at each other? Minnies there with them, they will be alright."

Sirius sighed, silent tears filling his eyes.

"I don't think she's ready, yeah she can hold a conversation with us, but what if they all exile her for being a Black? She's my baby sister. Rem' I carried her to bed last night, what is she going to do when someone is mean to her, they'll pick on her, I know it. I just do." The couple held each other, one seeking comfort, the other giving. "And even now, Quidditch is a very sexist sport. What if she doesn't make the team for her gender? Oh Merlin, what if she blows up in the Great Hall?" Sirius' head found a home in his hands while he over thought.

"The train leaves soon, we're about to leave. We came to say bye" Eri's soft voice cut through the sad aura like a hot knife. Sirius stood and took her looks in, memorizing the happy teen at arm's length.

"You look perfect, Darling. Nobody is going to question if you belong." She beamed at him while Ryder and Harry came down the stairs with their things trailing behind. Her book in hand and the snitch necklace clasped at the back of her neck she looked ready. She looked normal to him. It was odd.

* * *

While walking to the magical brick wall Eridanus and Harry noticed a specific sound of a dog's paws padding behind them. They both looked at the big shaggy grim trailing them, then at each other before laughing and following the dog to an empty room, ignoring Mad-eye's protests.

"Sirius!"   
  
"Bub!"

Both teens laughed as Sirius beckoned them to sit with him on the bench.

"Harry I have something I think you'll like, Eri I have something I'll give you after Harry has left."

Sirius began to show a moving photo of the original Order of the Phoenix, telling Harry about all of the people before shooing him away. Eri sat close and rested her head on his shoulder as he pulled out a second photo, another moving one, but this time it was a photo of the two Black brothers laughing together, taken by a young Narcissa Black, now Malfoy.

"I wanted you to have this, It's before everything got bad. Our cousin Cissa took the photo, she was fun once, before she married the idiotic Malfoy. Anyways, this way you can have Regulus and me while you're away. Just know we're always with you. And if you ever want to come home just tell Dumbledore or Minerva, alright?"

"Alright."

Tears formed in both siblings' eyes and they shared a side hug, Sirius pressing a tight kiss to the top of Eridanus' head before letting her go so he could shift back into his dog form.

They made it to the platform just in time, Eri holding the dog form of her big brother closely before Ryder pulled her onto the train.

She was going to miss his stupid puns.


	22. nineteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "i hope they have rolls"

i hope they have rolls 

* * *

* * *

The group of teens that came with the Order to the platform were separated, the train was very full and there were practically no seats this year. Ryder dragged Eri away from the full cabin that Harry and his friends began to inhabit to find another one. The short girl's face was bright as she smiled, looking around the train with wonder.

Ryder frowned as he couldn't find a spot for him and Eri to sit in, but internally groaned when he heard her distinct gasp of excitement.

"This spot has open seats, they look nice" She pointed at an open spot, sitting there was Flynn Daniels and Alexander Nott. Flynn, the third Gryffindor Chaser, and Alexander, Slytherin Seeker. Ryder only knew them because Flynn had knocked him off of his broom and broke his arm during a match and Alexander had come to apologize to him in the hospital wing after.

"Maybe not Eri-" He turned away from the smaller teen for a split second and she was off. "I was supposed to be watching you Eridanus!" He groaned before following her into the spot in front of them. He smiled awkwardly while Eri smiled brightly her face bright with the idea of friends.

"Hello I'm Eridanus, this is Ryder, may we sit here?" Alexander looked at the girl oddly before nodding with his friend, moving over a bit to make room for the new duo.

"Flynn Daniels, Gryffindor. Nice to meet you Eridanus" He stuck his hand out to her and smiled brightly, Alexander and Ryder both had weary looks on their faces as Eri and Flynn began talking to one another.

"Ryder Lupin right? Your dad taught DADA in third year?" Alexander Nott wasn't the type to make nice with just anyone. Never really talking to anyone but the Gryffindor sitting across from him and rarely his twin brother Theodore

"Oh, yeah that's me. Remus isn't really my dad though, he just took me in when I was little." Eri turned to Alexander and smiled at him before sticking her hand out to him.

"Hello I'm Eri, I'm in Ravenclaw, what house are yo-"

"Wow, a Black in Ravenclaw and Father thought Gryffindor was bad" Ryder immediately stood and Eri drew her wand, pointing it at Alexander.

"Woah Woah, okay Alex, explain to them how you know. She looks like she might kill you if you don't" Flynn looked a bit spooked as Ryder stood at his full height and glared at the boys with their hands up.

"Yes, _Alex_ , tell me how you know." Alexander rolled his eyes but seemed a bit shaken too. The Black family _was_ known for all the bad things that have happened to their enemies, those who had crossed them in the past never truly escaped the Black family's wrath.

"The Nott family is descended from the Blacks, almost all pureblood families are. But you would know that, wouldn't you? Eridanus Irma Black I. Mother and Father wondered if the tapestry was wrong you know? But the tapestry is never wrong. You know that too. I'm positive every person in Slytherin will know who you really are by the end of tonight's feast." Eridanus dropped her wand and Ryder sat back down. Her face was pale and a bit sickly.

"But hey, maybe no one will tell your secret!" Flynn, the ever-positive Gryffindor tried to lighten the mood.

Alexander rolled his eyes again, he grabbed Eri's hand as if to comfort her before giving her a sad smile

"Stick with us. If anyone asks, you're just Eri."

* * *

"And this is why everyone smothers you! You're too trusting, Star! For all you know Nott and Daniels could be leading you right to Moldysmort" Eri snorted and smiled at him, Flynn and Alexander went to get dressed into their robes for dinner, none of the boys wanted to leave Eridanus on her own due to the possibility of little baby Death Eaters could be trying to snatch her up.

"Moldysmort? Real mature Ry" She rolled her blue eyes before looking at him " _Flynn_ is a muggle-born dummy, and Alexander warned us about people knowing. Besides, what Death Eater would want to hang out with a muggle-born, it's not in their _nature_ " Ryder glared but knew she was right, she was always right. He hated that about her.

Ryder left the room so that Eri could change into her uniform that Dumbledore gave her. She smiled a bit as she tied the tie correctly, remembering when Sirius taught her the lazy way to do it. She had a moment to herself finally, Ryder not being able to come in until she knocked on the door. Eridanus went into her jean pockets and pulled out the old frayed photo of her two big brothers, both smiling and laughing. The camera had captured a rare moment of true happiness. She smiled at her stupid brothers before putting the photo into her book and fixing her appearance a bit. She knocked on the door and all three boys walked into the little room like they owned the place.

"So, do you think they'll have rolls?" The girl broke the tension, making Ryder laugh and they both had to explain why rolls were so funny to the two boys in front go them.

* * *

"Welcome to Hogwarts Hideaway Girl"

"I'm going to regret this friendship"

"Oh come on Xander, this'll be fun!"

"Star what are you staring at?"

* * *

_She called them her idiots and she was their hideaway girl. A group of teens that could rival the Marauders. One of each, Flynn Daniels, a Gryffindor, Ryder Lupin, a Hufflepuff, Alexander Nott, a Slytherin, and Eridanus Black, a Ravenclaw._

* * *

Many eyes were on Eri as nobody recognized her when she walked in. She walked to the Ravenclaw table, choosing to sit farthest away from the other students, she found herself seated next to one Luna Lovegood, who offered her a Quibbler before turning back to her upside down one.

"I'm Eri" She smiled at the other Ravenclaw, who seemed a bit shocked at the immediate kindness but quickly recovered

"Luna, but everyone likes to call me Loony." Eri made a face of dislike before smiling even wider at Luna

"I won't call you Loony, just Luna."

"Your aura's different from everyone else's Eri, does it have anything to do with the inbreeding of the Black family?" Luna gasped, not noticing Eridanus' shocked reaction, hiding who she really was was harder than she thought "Wrackspurts! Your head is filled with them! That must be it" Luna finally noticed Eri's nervous face before reaching over and squeezing the other girls hand in comfort "Don't worry, I saw you coming, not many others know about you, Eridanus Black." Eri sighed and nodded, squeezing the hand back "I'll keep your secrets." 

At the table next to Ravenclaw sat Hufflepuff, Ryder watched the exchange from afar and facepalmed before muttering to himself "Of course she would make friends with the Loony one" before banging his head onto the table before him, catching the attention of his fellow housemate Hanna Abbot. 


	23. twenty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "that was eridanus black, professor"

professor umbridge

* * *

* * *

Dumbledore soon walked up to the podium and started his beginning of year speech. Eri smiled and clapped for the old wizard as he spoke, but her smile was wiped off her face when he announced the newest DADA professor. 

"Hem hem" 

Eridanus banged her head into the table, moving her food out of the way, she kept lightly hitting her forehead to the wood. Praying to Merlin this was some sort of sick joke or mistake. When she finally looked up Luna looked at her concerned and Harry seemed worried about the new teacher from the Gryffindor table. 

The frog-like woman began a speech about the Ministry and how she hoped "we can all be friends" in her disgustingly sweet voice and girlish giggles. The teen began regretting coming to Hogwarts and silently wished she had gone to Beauxbatons Academy as her mother intended. As the woman finished her speech Eri hit her head into the table one last time, particularly hard. Wanting to leave already. 

Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape both winced watching Eridanus Black hit her head, then sitting up and having a red mark on her forehead. The teen just looked up, saw the woman, was immediately visibly upset, then laid her head back down. 

Severus knew that look. It was the same one he saw on Regulus Black's face when he showed Severus his new dark mark. The older Black was visibly upset for months after that. The potions master made a vow to himself when he first met the teen, he would watch over her, he owed Regulus that much. 

Minerva smiled a bit to herself, she saw a mix of the two brothers living in Eridanus. The woman sighed internally, knowing that poor Professor Flitwick would have his hands full with that one. She had met the teen once before when she was being sorted. Eridanus Black was a beautiful mess, a storm with skin. But her brothers weren't all the aged professor saw in the explosive teen. 

* * *

"You must be Miss. Black, I can show you to your dorm!" Eri smiled at her head of house who lead her into the common room, explaining the rules of Ravenclaw and how the classes worked here. "Now the girls you are rooming with think you're from Beaxbatons Academy, don't be shocked if they ask you a million and one questions about France, we're a bit low on Ravenclaw girls in your year so there will be an extra bed in your dorm, Mandy and Carrie are very kind girls, I'm sure you'll fit right in with them." Eri thanked the short man and walked up the stairs to her dorm and walked in. 

"Hello?" 

Two girls sat in the room, it seemed that the dorm was half organized half not. Carrie, a muggle-born of Japanese descent, and Mandy, a half-blood of English descent. They were chatting, seemingly about their summers, and turned to the new girl. Carrie immediately jumped up and started asking things about Eridanus, Mandy opted to stay on her bed and mouthed a 'good luck' to Eri. 

Carrie smiled as Eridanus answered all of her questions and laughed at the joke ones. 

"Your English accent is perfect, did you practice it?" Mandy finally spoke up and Eri shook her head 

"No, my mum raised me in France but I was spent a lot of time with my cousin Andi and her daughter Nym. They're English. I guess I just never developed a French accent." Mandy accepted the answer and Carried helped Eridnanus unpack all of her things. "Carrie, what's that?" Eri pointed at the drumset sitting over in a corner. 

"Oh, right your pure blood. Uhm, it's a drumset. It's an instrument, do you play any instrument?" Carrie asked and Eridanus gave a sad smile and nodded 

"I used to, my mum made me learn piano and how to sing. I don't anymore though." She shrugged before flopping onto her bed and pulling out her book. Eridanus enjoyed the short bout of silence before Carrie began playing the drums, causing Mandy to become visibly annoyed. 

"She's my best friend but somethings she does make me want to kill her!" She yelled over to Eri who just laughed and rolled over, enjoying the new sounds surrounding her until eventually falling asleep. 

* * *

"I'm shocked you slept through Carrie playing, I could never!" Mandy laughed, all three girls took a liking to each other quickly, Carrie and Mandy agreed to always make sure to include Eridanus in everything they did. 

"I guess it might have something to do with my Gran's screaming portrait" Eri laughed, they knew her as the _granddaughter_ of Walburga Black, not the daughter. 

All three girls laughed and Eri went to get her schedule from Flitwick, Mandy and Carrie got theirs at breakfast but Eridanus had a last-second change to hers, or so she was told. 

She walked to the professor's office and knocked before entering, there she found Dumbledore, Remus, Mad-eye, Andi, and a black Grim. Flitwick was nowhere in sight as she walked into the room. 

"What are you doing here?" there was panting and running coming from the staircase. She turned and saw Ryder who was huffing and puffing from his run to the tower. 

"I.." He took another deep breath "Was summoned?" Ryder sighed before closing the door and slumping against it. He waved to the Grim "Hey Sirius" 

"This is too dangerous! Sirius, you need to go home now." Eridanus almost yelled at her brother who quickly shifted back into his human form

Sirius rolled his eyes and opened his arms, though the teen was happy to see him she was also annoyed with him. "You gonna leave me here like an idiot kid?" 

"Well, you've been acting like one-" 

"Shut up you know you missed me" She sighed and moved closer to let him embrace her. "What's this I hear about you banging your head against the Ravenclaw table?" Andi looked concerned when Eri only shrugged and released her brother to trap the older woman in a hug

"Eri, is this about Umbridge?" The nightmares and her low energy seemed to only happen when she had been around the woman, seeing as the dreams and her unusual quietness happened after meeting the frog-woman. 

"I don't know. I just saw her and got really annoyed. I wished I was at Beauxbatons during her speech" She sighed, her hand and head making friends with one another "And Ry." She turned to the boy and slapped him upside the head "Snitch" She muttered before tackling Remus in a hug and taking her schedule from Dumbledore "I gotta go, I have Defence first thing, so do you Ry. Let's go, you know the way and I don't" Eridanus waved to the rest of the room and pulled Sirius down to her level before kissing his cheek and muttering "Stop worrying, I've already made five friends, not including the Order" 

* * *

Dark Arts were her best subject, being able to cast a Killing Curse by age five, and carelessly throwing a Crucio around by the age of six. But Defence, yeah she was going to struggle and struggle hard. Especially with this woman teaching them. 

DADA was Ryder and Eridanus' first classes of the day and their day wasn't starting out well. Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw took all of their classes together while Gryffindor and Slytherin did theirs together. 

"Wands away please" That damn voice. Mandy looked at Eridanus concerned when the other girl looked like she was going to scream when the new professor began talking. 

Eri paid attention the whole class, reluctantly though. When Hanna Abbot asked why the woman wasn't teaching us with demonstrations the only answer the class got was 

"Why would you ever need these spells, who do you imagine would attack children like yourself?" 

The youngest child of the Black bloodline stood up quickly, the normally shy and quiet girl was fuming. Something not uncommon for Ryder to see, but for her to yell at an adult other than Sirius or Molly was unheard of 

"Oh, I don't know, Bellatrix Lestrange, Lord Voldemort, Fenrir Greyback, Barty Crouch Jr., MY _FATHER_? AN _ESCAPED_ _CONVICT_?" Ryder stood next, moving to calm Eridanus who only pushed him away from her and walked closer to Umbridge "Try me, I have more names than you could _imagine_ " The teen walked over to her desk and collected her things before walking out of the room, and to her head of house. 

'Why did she have cause issues already, it's only the first class' Ryder thought before apologizing for her and going back to his seat. 

"Well then, she shall be getting detention, what is her name?" Carrie raised her hand

" _That was Eridanus Black, Professor._ "

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Leave comments and kudos if you want to  
> \- elle


End file.
